Continuity of Care and Health Care Utilization in Older Adults With Dementia in Fee-for-Service Medicare.

ABSTRACT:

Importance

Poor continuity of care may contribute to high health care spending and adverse patient outcomes in dementia.

Objective

To examine the association between medical clinician continuity and health care utilization, testing, and spending in older adults with dementia.

Design, setting, and participants

This was a study of an observational retrospective cohort from the 2012 national sample in fee-for-service Medicare, conducted from July to December 2015, using inverse probability weighted analysis. A total of 1 416 369 continuously enrolled, community-dwelling, fee-for-service Medicare beneficiaries 65 years or older with a claims-based dementia diagnosis and at least 4 ambulatory visits in 2012 were included.

Exposures

Continuity of care score measured

SUBMITTER: Amjad H 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5061498 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature