OBJECTIVE: To examine the importance of having a regular provider in community health centers (CHCs) for high quality care. METHODS: Analyses of a national survey-the Commonwealth Fund 2006 Health care Quality Survey-among patients with a private doctor's (PMD) office (n=1,743) or CHC (n=275) as their regular source of care. Outcomes include prevention measures, and measures of patient experience. RESULTS: Patients at CHCs are less likely than patients who use a PMD to report having a regular doctor (53% vs. 95%, p<or=.001). They also report lower rates for all the preventive care and patient experience measures. However, the differences in quality are eliminated when CHC patients have a regular provider. CONCLUSIONS: When CHC patients have a regular provider, they receive higher quality care. Policymakers should support expansions of the CHC health care workforce to ensure patients have access to a regular provider, which leads to higher quality care.
OBJECTIVE: To examine the importance of having a regular provider in community health centers (CHCs) for high quality care. METHODS: Analyses of a national survey-the Commonwealth Fund 2006 Health care Quality Survey-among patients with a private doctor's (PMD) office (n=1,743) or CHC (n=275) as their regular source of care. Outcomes include prevention measures, and measures of patient experience. RESULTS:Patients at CHCs are less likely than patients who use a PMD to report having a regular doctor (53% vs. 95%, p<or=.001). They also report lower rates for all the preventive care and patient experience measures. However, the differences in quality are eliminated when CHCpatients have a regular provider. CONCLUSIONS: When CHCpatients have a regular provider, they receive higher quality care. Policymakers should support expansions of the CHC health care workforce to ensure patients have access to a regular provider, which leads to higher quality care.
Authors: Patrick Richard; Peter Shin; Tishra Beeson; Laura S Burke; Susan F Wood; Sara Rosenbaum Journal: PLoS One Date: 2015-12-04 Impact factor: 3.240