Continuity of care is associated with satisfaction with local health care services

Lautamatti, Emmi; Sumanen, Markku; Raivio, Risto; Mattila, Kimmo

doi:10.1186/s12875-020-01251-5

Cited by 24 publications

(30 citation statements)

References 34 publications

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“…Most participants with chronic conditions reported implemented continuity of care, and those using hospital services seemed to suffer from more complex concerns: chronic diseases in combination with poor health status. The population with chronic conditions benefits from continuity of care the most [ 3 , 8 ], and those with continuity are more satisfied with health care services despite their impaired health and higher age [ 35 ]. The care of multi-morbid patients should be especially noted in primary care [ 36 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A named GP increases self-reported access to health care services

Lautamatti

Mattila

Suominen

et al. 2022

BMC Health Serv Res

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Background Continuity of care strengthens health promotion and decreases mortality, although the mechanisms of these effects are still unclear. In recent decades, continuity of care and accessibility of health care services have both decreased in Finland. Objectives The aim of the study was to investigate whether a named and assigned GP representing continuity of care is associated with the use of primary and hospital health care services and to create knowledge on the state of continuity of care in a changing health care system in Finland. Methods The data are part of the Health and Social Support (HeSSup) mail survey based on a random Finnish working age population sample of 64,797 individuals drawn in 1998 and follow-up surveys in 2003 and 2012. The response rate in 1998 was 40% (n = 25,898). Continuity of care was derived from the 2003 and 2012 data sets, other variables from the 2012 survey (n = 11,924). The principal outcome variables were primary health care and hospital service use reported by participants. The association of the explanatory variables (gender, age, education, reported chronic diseases, health status, smoking, obesity, NYHA class of any functional limitation, depressive mood and continuity of care) with the outcome variables was analysed by binomial logistic regression analysis. Results A named and assigned GP was independently and significantly associated with more frequent use of primary and hospital care in the adjusted logistic regression analysis (ORs 1.53 (95% CI 1.35–1.72) and 1.19 (95% CI 1.08–1.32), p < 0.001). Conclusion A named GPs is associated with an increased use of primary care and hospital services. A named GP assures access to health care services especially to the chronically ill population. The results depict the state of continuity of care in Finland. All benefits of continuity of care are not enabled although it still assures treatment of population in the most vulnerable position.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A named GP increases self-reported access to health care services

Lautamatti

Mattila

Suominen

et al. 2022

BMC Health Serv Res

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“…We analyzed the opinion of the patients on why they decided to cease their relations with the public PHC provider and thus interrupt continuity of care at the PHC level. Continuity of care is associated with patient satisfaction, 19 while the cause of dissatisfaction may be attributed to frequent physician changes. 20 Patient satisfaction is defined as the degree to which the individual regards the health care service or product or the manner in which it is delivered by the provider as useful, effective, or beneficial.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Patients’ Shift from Public to Private Primary Health Care Providers in Lithuania: Analysis of the Main Reasons

Žvinakis

Kalibataitė

Kalibatas

2021

INQUIRY

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Aims Lithuania is one of the countries where public and private primary health care (PHC) providers compete for patients. Patients continuously shift from public to PHC providers, but an analysis of the main reasons was never performed. This study aimed to analyze the reasons why patients shift from public to private PHC providers and identify the associations between the reasons and demographic characteristics of the patients. Methods A cross-sectional study based on a phone questionnaire was conducted among patients who shifted from public to private primary health care (PHC) providers. A total of 810 phone calls were made, and 572 telephone surveys were completed. The response rate was 70.49%. The difference between the proportions was assessed using the Z-test. The association between categorical variables was assessed using the chi-square test. Results The study identified the following main reasons: long queues to obtain family physician appointments (23.6%), inconvenient location of public’s institution department (20.1%), patients relocating (19.2%), enrolment at a former family physician who transitioned from a public to private PHC institution (10.5%), and long waiting time at the family physician’s office for the appointment (9.4%). Some statistically significant correlations were found between the specific reasons for shifting from public to private PHC organizations and patients' demographic characteristics. Conclusions Personal reasons are the most common reasons for shifting from public to private PHC providers (43.36% of the respondents), following the reasons related exclusively to the family physician (25.17%) and related PHC institutions only (24.9%).

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“…To date, RC has mostly been studied in Europe and high-income countries mainly through quantitative studies based on patient surveys, or indirectly through the calculation of indicators based on clinical records. Most of the studies available focus on analysing just one attribute of RC in primary care [ 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 ], and very few on secondary care [ 18 ] or on both levels [ 19 ]. These generally study the association between consistency of the PC doctor (the number of visits to/by the same doctor) and care quality, the use of services, or the patient’s adherence to prescribed treatments [ 13 , 16 , 17 , 20 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Relational Continuity of Chronic Patients with Primary and Secondary Care Doctors: A Study of Public Healthcare Networks of Six Latin American Countries

Espinel-Flores

Tiburcio-Lara

Vargas

et al. 2022

IJERPH

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Despite relational continuity (RC) with the doctor being key to care quality for chronic patients, particularly in fragmented healthcare systems, like many in Latin America (LA), little is known about RC and its attributes, particularly regarding specialists. Aim: We aim to analyse chronic patients’ perceptions of RC with primary (PC) and secondary (SC) care doctors, and record changes between 2015 and 2017 in the public healthcare networks of six LA countries. An analysis of two cross-sectional studies applying the CCAENA questionnaire to chronic patients (N = 4881) was conducted in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, and Uruguay. The dependent variables of RC with PC and SC doctors were: consistency, trust, effective communication, and synthetic indexes based on RC attributes. Descriptive and multivariate analyses were performed. Although the RC index was high in 2015, especially in PC in all countries, and at both levels in Argentina and Uruguay, low perceived consistency at both levels in Colombia and Chile and of SC doctors in Mexico revealed important areas for improvement. In 2017 the RC index of SC doctors increased in Chile and Mexico, while SC doctors’ consistency in Colombia decreased. This study reveals important gaps in achieving RC with doctors, particularly in SC, which requires further structural and organisational reforms.

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Continuity of care is associated with satisfaction with local health care services

Cited by 24 publications

References 34 publications

A named GP increases self-reported access to health care services

A named GP increases self-reported access to health care services

Patients’ Shift from Public to Private Primary Health Care Providers in Lithuania: Analysis of the Main Reasons

Relational Continuity of Chronic Patients with Primary and Secondary Care Doctors: A Study of Public Healthcare Networks of Six Latin American Countries

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