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Relative activity and referral patterns for diabetes and non-diabetes in general practice
C L Morgan1, C J Currie, J Hunt
1Department of Medicine, University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff, UK. MorganCL@cf.ac.uk
Summary
Patients with diabetes utilize general practice (GP) services more frequently, with significantly higher referral rates to community services and increased hospital admissions. This highlights the substantial impact of diabetes on primary care workload.
Area of Science:
- General Practice
- Diabetes Care
- Health Services Research
Background:
- Diabetes mellitus represents a significant public health challenge.
- Understanding primary care activity is crucial for resource allocation and service planning.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare general practice (GP) activity for patients with and without diabetes.
- To quantify differences in consultations and referrals in primary care.
Main Methods:
- Utilized data from the Welsh GP Morbidity Database Project (GPMDP).
- Analyzed demographic, lifestyle, and consultation data from general practices representing over 10% of the Welsh population.
- Calculated annual period prevalence of diabetes and compared consultation and referral rates.
Main Results:
- Identified 4,182 diabetic patients (1.41% prevalence), accounting for 4.4% of consultations.
- Diabetic patients were four times more likely to be referred to community services (e.g., nursing, optometry, chiropody, dietetics).
- Higher rates of follow-up in general practice and increased emergency and elective hospital admissions were observed for diabetic patients.
Conclusions:
- Confirmed increased utilization of health services by diabetic patients in primary care, mirroring secondary care trends.
- Further research is needed to assess community service activity post-referral for diabetic patients.