Gives a secondary analysis of data from the first two years of the BEACH (Bettering the Evaluation and Care of Health) program, April 1998 to March 2000. It reports differences in rural and metropolitan general practice based on information on over 200,000 GP-patient encounters from a random sample of 2,014 GPs. Comparisons are made in terms of characteristics of the general practitioners; types of services they provide; characteristics of the patients; problems managed at the GP-patient encounters and the management techniques adopted by the GPs.