'The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners'
Abstract
BACKGROUNDThe Better Outcomes in Mental Health Care (BOMHC) initiative encourages general practitioners to use electronic mental health resources (EMHRs) during consultation with patients requiring psychological assistance. However, there is little data on GPs’ acceptance and use of EMHRs.METHODSemistructured interviews were conducted with 27 GPs to determine their attitude toward EMHRs, and their use during consultation with patients.RESULTSFew GPs reported frequently using EMHRs in consultation. Identified barriers to use included lack of familiarity with information technology, and insufficient knowledge of available resources. Identified advantages of electronic resources included high patient acceptance, time efficiency, and improved quality of information.DISCUSSIONGeneral practitioners recognise several advantages of utilising electronic resources for managing patients with mental illness. However, GPs are not sufficiently familiar with electronic resources to use them effectively. This could be overcome by education.<br /
