Abstract
This paper illustrates, by means of a case study, the value of significant event audit in defining the strengths general practice can bring to a health system. Systematic undervaluing of the general practitioner's skills of early diagnosis, gatekeeping, patient advocacy, and whole patient care led to serious adverse health consequences for a patient in Austria. A health system that does not value the key role of the general practitioner can expose individual patients to severe adverse health consequences. The development of a national significant event register to assist in the formulation of more appropriate national health policies is proposed.