Assessment of Patients Who Apply to the Family Medicine Outpatient Clinic to Obtain A Medical Report

Abstract

Objective: Medical reports are crucial in Family Medicine. However, many legal issues remain unresolved. Unnecessary examination requests cause significant costs, labor loss for physicians, and affect occupational safety. This study aimed to evaluate the age, gender, and occupational distribution of individuals applying to the Family Medicine Outpatient Clinic for driver's license, employment, marriage, diaper, and medication reports, and to examine the relationship between the requested examinations and reports. Method: This single center and retrospective study were conducted with individuals who applied to the Family Medicine Outpatient Clinic of a tertiary hospital between 01.01.2014-01.01.2015 to obtain driver's license, employment, health, marriage, diaper and medication reports. Data were collected by retrospective file screening method. The requested hemogram and biochemical tests, ELISA tests (Hbs Ag, Anti-Hbs, Anti-HIV, Anti-HCV), Venereal Disease Research Laboratory (VDRL), thalassemia screening, nasal and throat cultures, and chest radiography results for the relevant report were reviewed. The examinations requested according to the age and gender and report type data of the people were recorded. Results: The mean age of 3673 individuals included in the study was 35.45 and 52.7% (n=1936) of them were male. It was observed that the most applications were made in September. Medical reports were mostly requested prior to employment (%76). Essential hypertension (%34) was the most common drug report diagnosis, and urinary incontinence (%32) was the main reason for diaper reports. Among those screened for pre-employment and marriage reports, 4% (n=10) were positive for Hepatitis B surface antigen (HbSAg)and Hepatitis B Surface Antibody (AntiHbs). 9% of those who applied for a marriage report were positive for thalassemia. Chest x-ray and nose, throat, stool cultures were common tests for employment reports. Staph aureus was found in 7.9% of nasal cultures. Conclusion: Standardizing all medical reports, especially pre-employment health reports, will alleviate the burden on family medicine physicians and ensure proper legal procedures. By preventing unnecessary medical examinations, physician workforce loss and healthcare costs must be minimized. In this context, the Ministry of Health needs to coordinate with institutions and organizations