After Achilles

Published Date: 01st May 2016

Publication Authors: Irving G

Extract
Contrary to the view that ‘using time as a diagnostic tool’ is ‘sloppy and idle’ and that general practice has ‘floundered’ as a result of such unhelpful phrases, we consider that general practice has struggled to provide a robust evidence base to confirm or refute the value of time as a diagnostic strategy. One of the most important diagnostic tasks performed by the GP is discriminating between the majority of patients with minor, usually self-limiting, illness and the minority with serious disease. This was illustrated by a cohort of 2690 adults presenting with lower respiratory tract infections of whom 92% had recovered within 3 weeks and only 1.1% were hospitalised, none of whom died.

Irving, G; Holden, J. (2016). After Achilles. British Journal of General Practice. 66 (646), 238

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