G.P.s helped to research from home

Press, 2 May 1984, Page 6

G.P.s helped to research from home

PA Dunedin A research unit has been set up in the Otago Medical School’s department of general practice to help doctors research within their own practices. The unit’s director is New Zealand’s first professor of general practice, Professor J. C. Murdoch. The Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners decided to establish the unit at its March meeting and has provided the finance and other resources required. The idea is similar to the Scottish General Practitioner Research Support Unit, in which Professor Murdoch participated before coming to New Zealand. An example of a suitable study was the “Tapanui flu” observed by Tapanui’s Dr P. Snow. He was able to link up with staff at the Otago Medical School to get research on his patients under way, Dr Murdoch said.

Many other common patient problems do not yet have a solution. Research does not have to be left to academics, nor does it need to cost thousands of dollars, he said. Many advances in medicine started from observations made by doctors, later backed .up by more sophisticated research — such as the development of penicillin. One of the reasons for choosing the Otago Medical School as a base for the unit was because of the University Extension’s teleconference system, which could be used to reach doctors throughout New Zealand, Dr Murdoch said.