Abstract
Time to revisit Dr Finlay's casebook? The unique potential of the general practice case report
Highlights
Case reports have played a crucial role throughout the history of medicine
Cases seen in general practice are frequently seen as being routine and unspectacular. Whilst this may be true in terms of their actual diagnosis, when other components, such as multimorbidity, social disadvantage, psychological characteristics, are added into the equation the unique potential of general practice cases is realised
More than any other group general practitioners are able to appreciate illness rather than disease [3], with knowledge of the patient over time and of his or her family and community. This information represents an essential component to the successful management of our patients, yet these components could never be captured in a randomised controlled trial or large prospective cohort. It is not as if general practitioners are unaware of the importance and usefulness of case reports
Summary
Case reports have played a crucial role throughout the history of medicine. They have been used to describe rare and exceptional diseases, illustrate diagnostic or therapeutic procedures, challenges, actions, errors, and their outcomes [1,2]. It is a form of sharing medical knowledge that general practitioners ought to be at the forefront of. More than any other group general practitioners are able to appreciate illness (the ill health a patient identifies themselves with, usually based on self-reported psychological or physical symptoms) rather than disease (the biological process that doctors use to explain and understand illness) [3], with knowledge of the patient over time and of his or her family and community.
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