Open AccessPhysician Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factor Management: Practices in France vs the United States
Author(s) -
Schuster Richard J.,
Steichen Olivier,
Ogunmoroti Oluseye,
Ellison Sylvia,
Terwoord Nancy,
Duhot Didier,
Beaufils Michel
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
the journal of clinical hypertension
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.909
H-Index - 67
eISSN - 1751-7176
pISSN - 1524-6175
DOI - 10.1111/j.1751-7176.2010.00370.x
Subject(s) - medicine , family medicine , risk factor , primary care , disease , medline , emergency medicine , political science , law
Cardiovascular risk factor management by French vs US primary care physicians was studied. A survey was conducted that found that French physicians spend >20 minutes while US physicians spend five to 10 minutes (P<.001) addressing cardiovascular risk with patients. Fifty‐three percent of French (vs 33% of US) physicians focus more on lifestyle modification and less on medication management (P<.0001). Sixty‐nine percent of French physicians spend 0% to 20% of their time on administration while 65% of US physicians spend 10% to 30% (P=.0028). Fifty‐one percent of French physicians see patients in one to three months for follow‐up, while 51% of US physicians see patients in three to six months (P<.0001). Eighty‐seven percent of French (vs 39% of US) physicians have guidelines available in the examination room either frequently or very frequently. US physicians report disparities in care more frequently than do French physicians (P<.0001). Forty‐nine percent of French (vs 10% of US) physicians believe that they have relative freedom to practice medicine (P<.001). US physicians report greater administrative efforts, frustration, and disparities in their practice. French physicians focus more of their efforts on lifestyle management and see their patients more frequently and for a longer visit time. J Clin Hypertens (Greenwich). 2011;13:10–18. ©2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.