Association Between Mental Health Conditions and Outpatient Care Fragmentation: a National Study of Older High-Risk Veterans.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Healthcare fragmentation may lead to adverse consequences and may be amplified among older, sicker patients with mental health (MH) conditions.

Objective

To determine whether older Veterans with MH conditions have more fragmented outpatient non-MH care, compared with older Veterans with no MH conditions.

Design

Retrospective cohort study using FY2014 Veterans Health Administration (VHA) administrative data linked to Medicare data.

Participants

125,481 VHA patients ≥ 65 years old who were continuously enrolled in Medicare Fee-for-Service Parts A and B and were at high risk for hospitalization.

Main outcome and measures

The main outcome was non-MH care fragmentation as measured by (1) non-MH provider count and (2) Usual Provider of Care (UPC), t

SUBMITTER: Trivedi RB 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9708986 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature