Computer use by general practitioners in Scotland.

Abstract

Despite this group of GPs having a self-declared interest in the use of computers, the extent to which the computer was used was much lower than expected from the GPs' self-reported use. This may be partly explained by the fact that using the computer takes up valuable time within the consultation and does not appear to contribute to patient satisfaction. If desktop computers are to be used to their full potential in general practice, more work is required to evaluate their impact on the consultation process itself.