Jean-Louis Larochelle1, Debbie Ehrmann Feldman2, Jean-Frederic Levesque3. 1. Physiotherapist and Teacher, École de réadaptation, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC. 2. Professor, École de réadaptation, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC. 3. Chief Executive, Senior Management Team, Bureau of Health Information, Chatswood, NSW, Australia.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: Specialist physicians may act either as consultants or co-managers for patients with chronic diseases along with their primary healthcare (PHC) physician. We assessed factors associated with specialist involvement. METHODS: We used questionnaire and administrative data to measure co-management and patient and PHC practice characteristics in 702 primary care patients with common chronic diseases. Analysis included multilevel logistic regressions. RESULTS: In all, 27% of the participants were co-managed. Persons with more severe chronic diseases and lower health-related quality of life were more likely to be co-managed. Persons who were older, had a lower socioeconomic status, resided in rural regions and who were followed in a PHC practice with an advanced practice nurse were less likely to be co-managed. DISCUSSION: Co-management of patients with chronic diseases by a specialist is associated with higher clinical needs but demonstrates social inequalities. PHC practices more adapted to chronic care may help optimize specialist resources utilization.
OBJECTIVE: Specialist physicians may act either as consultants or co-managers for patients with chronic diseases along with their primary healthcare (PHC) physician. We assessed factors associated with specialist involvement. METHODS: We used questionnaire and administrative data to measure co-management and patient and PHC practice characteristics in 702 primary care patients with common chronic diseases. Analysis included multilevel logistic regressions. RESULTS: In all, 27% of the participants were co-managed. Persons with more severe chronic diseases and lower health-related quality of life were more likely to be co-managed. Persons who were older, had a lower socioeconomic status, resided in rural regions and who were followed in a PHC practice with an advanced practice nurse were less likely to be co-managed. DISCUSSION: Co-management of patients with chronic diseases by a specialist is associated with higher clinical needs but demonstrates social inequalities. PHC practices more adapted to chronic care may help optimize specialist resources utilization.
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