Doctors’ contributions to primary care in outpatient clinics in depopulated areas within Hokkaido

Objective: To examine how doctors who work in outpatient clinics in depopulated areas in Hokkaido contribute to the provision of primary care to residents. Methods: The study adopted a qualitative research design. Six doctors, all of whom were men and in charge of medical clinics located in depopulated areas in Hokkaido, participated in a semi-structured interview. The interviews were recorded using a digital voice recorder. The data were transcribed and classified into codes, subcategories, and categories, and analyzed. Results: A qualitative analysis yielded the following five superordinate categories: (1) clinical praxis in accordance with residents’ lifestyles and life stages; (2) innovative care provision based on residents’ conditions; (3) provision of routine care in partnership with other healthcare providers and associated stakeholders; (4) beliefs and feelings of pride associated with working as doctors in clinics in depopulated areas; and (5) difficulties in guaranteeing reliable and continuous operation of clinics in depopulated areas. Conclusion: This study successfully identified the specific contributions of doctors working in outpatient clinics in depopulated areas to primary care, as well as the related challenges that they face. Moving forward, researchers should continue to examine how the issues faced by clinics in depopulated areas can be addressed using regional medical care plans.