Background: Dealing with uncertainty and doubts is common in every day decision making processes in generál practice. General practitioners encounter a vast range of problems presenting themselves in undif-ferentiated way. For many of these problems there are often no straight answers, no clear diagnoses and no obvious treatment; the application of guidelines and evidence based medicíně is difficult. Aim and methods: The aim of this páper is to describe uncertainty as a component of generál practice and to search for strategies to help deal with or to minimize uncertainty. A comprehensive review of the literatuře on uncertainty was ušed to prepare a focus group comprised of generál practitioners. Participants pro-duced their own solutions based upon personál experience of dealing with uncertainty. The discussion was monitored and then the outcomes were elaborated and distributed to participants for feedback. Results: Czech generál practitioners agreed on uncertainty as a normál part of generál practice. A good doc-tor-patient relationship, sufficient consultation time, good communication skills and a trusting atmosphere are vital. Both external evidence (EBM, risk calculation) and internal evidence (patienťs opinion, doctoťs findings) must be assessed and respected. Peer group discussions with colleagues and specialists are anot-her recommended option. The ability to cope with uncertainty is an essential requirement for the success-ful generál practitioner. A failure to cope with uncertainty leads to unnecessary investigations, referrals, and to increased risk of burn-out syndrome.

        Key words: uncertainty, general practitioner, evidence-based medicine, primary care.