Frequency of and variation in low-value care in primary care: a retrospective cohort study.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Low-value care, defined as care with a lack of benefit, can lead to higher health care costs, inconvenience to patients and, in some cases, harm to patients. The objectives of this study are to conduct exploratory analyses to understand how frequently selected low-value tests are ordered, to assess the degree of variation in ordering that exists across regions and practices, and to identify services that may warrant further investigation and targeted interventions.

Methods

We conducted a population-based retrospective cohort study using administrative health care databases from Ontario to identify rates of use of the following low-value services between fiscal years 2008/09 and 2012/13: computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) after a diagnosis

SUBMITTER: Pendrith C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5378544 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Jan-Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature