The relationship between general practitioners' characteristics and the extent to which they refer clients to psychologists

Abstract

This study investigated general practitioners' (GPs') attitudes towards psychologists and whether these attitudes were related to their referral behaviours. One hundred and five GPs completed a survey instrument. Results showed that GPs' attitudes to psychologists were generally favourable, although they typically underestimated the amount of training required to become a psychologist. Results also suggested that high-referring GPs rated psychologists' professional competency and value to the community higher than did low-referring GPs, and that female GPs referred more frequently than did males. A majority of the respondents believed that psychologists' fees should be able to be claimed on Medicare. The study's findings give a preliminary indication of how one group of Victorian GPs view psychologists and the services they provide, and have implications for professional practice.