The Role of Gut Feelings in General Practice
Author Information
Author(s): Erik Stolper, Marloes van Bokhoven, Paul Houben, Paul van Royen, Margje van de Wiel, Trudy van der Weijden, Geert Jan Dinant
Primary Institution: School for Public Health and Primary Care (CAPHRI), Maastricht University
Hypothesis
What are the main determinants of gut feelings in general practice?
Conclusion
Gut feelings play a significant role in general practice, but further research is needed to understand their contributions and to integrate them into medical education.
Supporting Evidence
- Gut feelings are recognized by most GPs and play an important role in their practice.
- Participants identified two types of gut feelings: a sense of reassurance and a sense of alarm.
- The study found that gut feelings are influenced by experience, contextual knowledge, and personality.
Takeaway
Doctors sometimes have a 'gut feeling' about patients, which helps them decide what to do, even if they can't explain why they feel that way.
Methodology
Qualitative research including 4 focus group discussions with a heterogeneous sample of 28 general practitioners.
Potential Biases
Potential bias in self-selection of participants and the influence of group dynamics during discussions.
Limitations
The study relies on self-reported data from focus group discussions, which may not capture all aspects of gut feelings.
Participant Demographics
28 general practitioners from the Netherlands, with varying levels of experience and practice settings.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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