Continuity in general practice and hospitalization patterns: an observational study.

ABSTRACT:

Background

High continuity of care is a key feature of strong general practice. This study aimed to assess the effect of a programme for enhancing strong general practice care on the continuity of care in Germany. The second aim was to assess the effect of continuity of care on hospitalization patterns.

Methods

We performed an observational study in Germany, involving patients who received a strong general practice care programme (n=1.037.075) and patients who did not receive this programme (n=723.127) in the year 2017. We extracted data from a health insurance database. The cohorts were compared with respect to three measures of continuity of care (Usual Provider Index, Herfindahl Index, and the Sequential Continuity Index), adjusted for patient characteristics. The effects

SUBMITTER: Wensing M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7809859 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature