Clinical needs of patients attending a women's health center in Japan

Abstract

Background: Many women's health centers (WHC) in Japan use female obstetrician-gynecologists, not trained in primary care medicine, as providers. It is not known whether clinical needs of patients at WHC are met by these providers. Objective: To identify the clinical needs of patients attending a WHC in Japan by examining their presenting problems and diagnoses. Methods: We performed a case-series study of 53 patients at a WHC in a public medical center in Chiba Prefecture, Japan. Charts were reviewed for the presenting problems and diagnoses. Results: The most common presenting complaints were related to the female genital system or the breast (42%) and psychological problems (13%). At discharge, the most common diagnoses were psychological (42%). The next most common diagnoses were related to the female genital system or the breast (36%). The remainder (22%) were related to a variety of organ systems. Conclusion: Patients at the WHC presented with not only gynecological but also general medical and psychological problems and had discharge diagnoses involving a variety of organ systems. Physicians at WHCs should be trained in primary care medicine to meet the clinical needs of patients. © 2008 The Japanese Society of Internal Medicine.