Sammanfattning
BACKGROUND The regular GP (RGP) scheme is intended to promote continuity in the relationship between doctor and patient. The duration of GP
contracts is therefore a key factor in the success of the scheme. This study examines how long the GP contracts last and whether their duration
varies according to doctors’ gender and age, municipality size and list size.
MATERIAL AND METHOD The study encompasses 7 359 GP contracts throughout Norway, entered into between municipalities and doctors in the
period 1 May 2001-1 May 2014. Duration is measured as the time from which the contract was signed until its expiry or the end of the study
period. The material was analysed with measures of central tendencies and dispersion, Kaplan-Meier survival curve analysis and Cox
proportional hazards regression.
RESULTS Median duration of a GP contract at the time of the study was 5.91 years. It varied between 2.75 years in the smallest municipalities and
8.37 years in the largest ones. The duration of a GP contract increased significantly if the doctor was a woman, or with the doctor’s age at the start
of the contract, increased municipality size and increased list size.
INTERPRETATION If it is assumed that continuity in the doctor-patient relationship provides a qualitatively better GP service, the results indicate
that patients in small municipalities are generally offered a lower-quality service than patients in large municipalities.