Insight into Private General Physicians' Practices: an Exploratory Qualitative Study in a Rural District of Pakistan.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: The study aimed to assess private general physicians'(GPs) healthcare practices, identifying perceived malpractices, the support they receive, and barriers they experience in providing healthcare services. DESIGN: Qualitative exploratory study. SETTING: Rural district, Thatta in Province of Sindh, Pakistan. PARTICIPANTS: 15 GPs. RESULTS: Our results include increased motivation among GPs for continued professional development, the high influence of pharmaceutical companies on providers' prescribing practices, perceived malpractices by GPs, and the prevalence of quackery and ineffective regulatory mechanisms for private GPs in a rural district. CONCLUSION: Our findings have implications for the capacity building of GPs by academic institutions, enforcement of regulatory measures by the authorities, and the introduction of measures to curb practices by unqualified practitioners. Finally, more research will be needed to further understand the perceptions of GPs, their needs and the service delivery interventions that will enhance the quality of care they provide.