Table 4.

Examples of patients who imply that visiting their GP will alter the course of their illness.

Quote
P: I don't have any fever now but I think tonight I will have a seriously high fever (GP13, female, 29y, P47, male, 48y, viral/flu-like illness)
P: a lot of snot a bit of cough GP: a little cough? P: a little (GP starts typing) P: nothing else (0.3) no (0.5) GP: yes P: but in the past Euh 2 years ago I had a pneumoniaso that's why (GP18, female, 46y, P70, female, 40y, URTI)
P: I guess It's all not that bad but I thought, if I don't go now, it probably will get worse and mostly the ear bothers me (GP11, female, 39y - P37, female, 42y, URTI)
P: and I thought euhm I will go to the practice, here because I'm afraid it could become a throat infection euhm, but I don't make any fever so(GP15, female, 36y -P55, male, adult, tracheitis/laryngitis)
GP: Do you have health issues we should know of? Of the respiratory tract? P: No. Last time I had this kind of cough, I let it go on too long and then I came to the doctor and he said I had a bad pneumonia. So I didn't want that this time. GP: how long ago was it? P: three, 4 years ago, something like that GP: ok, and it was solved with? P: yes, just with some antibiotics, and then it became better. (GP6, male, 50y - P21, male, 31y,URTI)

P, patient; GP, general practitioner; y, years URTI, upper respiratory tract infection.