From the Guidelines
The top 20 primary care complaints are not explicitly listed in the provided evidence, but based on the available information, the most common complaints include respiratory infections, back pain, hypertension, headaches, joint pain, fatigue, abdominal pain, depression/anxiety, skin conditions, and urinary tract infections. These complaints are frequently encountered in primary care settings and can have a significant impact on patients' quality of life. According to 1, anxiety is one of the most frequent mental health concerns in primary care, with prevalence rates of 15 to 20% for any current anxiety disorder.
Some of the common primary care complaints include:
- Respiratory infections (like colds, flu, and bronchitis)
- Back pain
- Hypertension
- Headaches
- Joint pain
- Fatigue
- Abdominal pain
- Depression/anxiety
- Skin conditions (such as rashes and acne)
- Urinary tract infections
Management of these complaints often involves a combination of lifestyle modifications, medications, and referrals to specialists as needed. For example, respiratory infections typically resolve with supportive care including rest, hydration, and over-the-counter medications like acetaminophen (325-650mg every 4-6 hours as needed) for fever and pain, as suggested by 1 and 1. Back pain management often involves NSAIDs such as ibuprofen (400-600mg three times daily with food) for acute episodes, combined with physical therapy and proper body mechanics.
It is essential to note that the provided evidence does not explicitly list the top 20 primary care complaints, but rather provides guidance on the management of various conditions that are commonly encountered in primary care settings. Therefore, the list of complaints provided above is not exhaustive, but rather a compilation of common conditions that are frequently encountered in primary care. Prompt attention to these conditions helps prevent complications and improves quality of life for patients, as emphasized by 1, 1, and 1.
From the Research
Common Primary Care Complaints
- The top complaints in primary care include upper respiratory tract infection, hypertension, routine health maintenance, arthritis, diabetes, depression or anxiety, pneumonia, acute otitis media, back pain, and dermatitis 2
- Patient-reported complaints often involve symptomatic conditions such as cough, back pain, abdominal symptoms, pharyngitis, dermatitis, fever, headache, leg symptoms, unspecified respiratory concerns, and fatigue 2
- Clinical care is a common complaint, accounting for 44% of all complaints, followed by medication (10%) and health impairment of the practitioner (8%) 3
Complaints by Profession
- Complaints vary by profession, with doctors and dentists having the highest rates of complaints (5% per annum per practitioner) and nurses/midwives having the lowest rates (0.5% per annum per practitioner) 3
- The types of complaints also differ by profession, with clinical care being the most common complaint for all professions, but with varying frequencies and types of complaints for each profession 3
Demographic Factors
- Demographic factors such as sex, age, and country of birth are associated with the risk of complaint, with men being at least twice as likely to have a complaint made against them than women 3
- The types of complaints also differ by demographic factors, with men and women having different types of complaints 3
Clinical Safety Problems
- At least 4.6% of all claims analyzed in one study contained clinical safety problems, with the family physician being the professional who received the majority of the complaints (53.6%) 4
- The main reason for complaints was problems related to diagnosis (43%), mainly the delay in diagnosis, and other variables analyzed included the severity of adverse events experienced by patients and the subsequent impact on patient care 4