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Continuity of care: is it cost effective?
M Raddish1, S D Horn, P D Sharkey
1Children's Medical Center, University of Oklahoma, Tulsa 74135, USA.
The American Journal of Managed Care
|October 28, 1999
Summary
Higher healthcare provider continuity is linked to reduced healthcare utilization and costs. Promoting continuity of care can lead to significant savings in healthcare spending.
Area of Science:
- Health Services Research
- Healthcare Economics
- Patient Care Management
Background:
- Healthcare provider continuity is a key aspect of quality care.
- Understanding its impact on resource utilization and costs is crucial for healthcare systems.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between healthcare provider continuity and healthcare utilization and costs.
- To analyze how varying levels of continuity affect patient outcomes and expenditures.
Main Methods:
- A longitudinal, prospective, observational study involving 12,997 patients across 6 health maintenance organizations (HMOs).
- Data collected included disease-specific prescriptions, outpatient visits, hospital admissions, and associated costs.
- Controlled for various patient and HMO characteristics, including disease severity, visit type, and HMO policies.
Main Results:
- Increased numbers of primary or specialty care providers were generally associated with higher utilization and costs.
- Each additional provider per patient per year increased pharmacy costs by $19 to $58, depending on the condition.
- A correlation was observed between an increase in primary care providers and an increase in specialty care providers.
Conclusions:
- Continuity of care is associated with reduced resource utilization and healthcare costs.
- Healthcare delivery systems should prioritize and promote care continuity to optimize resource allocation and reduce expenditures.