[Specifics of health services utilization in an affiliated ambulatory general medicine practice]

Rationalisation in primary health care includes solutions such as affiliated practices. This study tries to detect specific utilisation of affiliated practices. The survey was done in general practice setting Bukovlje and affiliated practice Klokocevik, both near Slavonski Brod. A three-month prospective study using the International Classification of Primary Care was done. The results showed no difference in morbidity. The number of visits per patient was 1.29 in the main practice and 1.06 in the affiliated practice. The average number of reasons for encounter per one visit was 1.6 in the affiliated practice and 1.37 in the main practice. Symptoms and complaints, as well as referrals were more frequent reasons for encounter in the main practice (28% vs. 20%, and 15% vs. 10%). In spite of a similar morbidity, users of the affiliated practice less frequently utilised health care, inclined to postpone their visit to the doctor and refused referrals. The observed type of health care utilisation could present a health risk.