Article

Doctors' views of working conditions in rural hospitals in the Western Cape

Published in: South African Family Practice
Volume 46 , issue 3 , 2004 , pages: 21–26

DOI: 10.1080/20786204.2004.10873056

Author(s): MR De Villiers Department of Family Medicine and Primary Care, Faculty of Health Sciences, , PJT De Villiers Department of Family Medicine and Primary Care, Faculty of Health Sciences,

Keywords: district hospitals , working conditions

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Abstract

There has been a lively debate in the media about working conditions in rural South African hospitals, with a particular focus on staffing and quality of care. From a medical perspective, it has been stated that poorly equipped and managed hospitals, inappropriate training and an excessive workload are significant contributors to the problem. This study was conducted to investigate the experiences of medical practitioners in performing their professional duties in rural district hospitals in the Western Cape. Twenty in-depth, free-attitude interviews were conducted.

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