A comparison of health care use for physician-referred and self-referred episodes of outpatient physical therapy.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

To compare patient profiles and health care use for physician-referred and self-referred episodes of outpatient physical therapy (PT).

Data source

Five years (2003-2007) of private health insurance claims data, from a Midwest insurer, on beneficiaries aged 18-64.

Study design

Retrospective analyses of health care use of physician-referred (N = 45,210) and self-referred (N = 17,497) ambulatory PT episodes of care was conducted, adjusting for age, gender, diagnosis, case mix, and year.

Data collection/extraction

Physical therapy episodes began with the physical therapist initial evaluation and ended on the last date of service before 60 days of no further visits. Episodes were classified as physician-referred if the patient had a physician claim from a

SUBMITTER: Pendergast J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3419881 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature