Graham Worrall1, John Knight. 1. Department of Family Medicine, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St John’s. gworrall@mun.ca
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To examine the relationship between continuity of family physician care and all-cause mortality and acute hospitalizations in older people with diabetes. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study of administrative health databases. Continuity of family physician care for elderly patients newly diagnosed with diabetes was estimated by 3 continuity indexes using physician claims data. The relationship of continuity of family physician care to mortality and acute hospitalizations was investigated. SETTING: The province of Newfoundland and Labrador. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 305 family practice patients 65 years of age or older with diabetes. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Death rate and hospitalization rate during a 3-year period. RESULTS: Overall, continuity of family physician care was high. In the 3 years examined, the higher-continuity group had lower rates of hospitalization (53.5% vs 68.2%) and death (8.6% vs 18.5%) than the lower-continuity group. CONCLUSION: The findings suggest an association between higher continuity of family physician care and reductions in likelihood of death and hospitalizations in older people with diabetes.
OBJECTIVE: To examine the relationship between continuity of family physician care and all-cause mortality and acute hospitalizations in older people with diabetes. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study of administrative health databases. Continuity of family physician care for elderly patients newly diagnosed with diabetes was estimated by 3 continuity indexes using physician claims data. The relationship of continuity of family physician care to mortality and acute hospitalizations was investigated. SETTING: The province of Newfoundland and Labrador. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 305 family practice patients 65 years of age or older with diabetes. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Death rate and hospitalization rate during a 3-year period. RESULTS: Overall, continuity of family physician care was high. In the 3 years examined, the higher-continuity group had lower rates of hospitalization (53.5% vs 68.2%) and death (8.6% vs 18.5%) than the lower-continuity group. CONCLUSION: The findings suggest an association between higher continuity of family physician care and reductions in likelihood of death and hospitalizations in older people with diabetes.
Authors: Richard Baker; George K Freeman; Jeannie L Haggerty; M John Bankart; Keith H Nockels Journal: Br J Gen Pract Date: 2020-08-27 Impact factor: 5.386