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Published on: February 14, 2012
Parkinsonism in Ontario: physician utilization
M Guttman1, P M Slaughter, M E Theriault
1Division of Neurology, Department of Medicine, University of Toronto, OntarioCanada.
Summary
Parkinsonism patients utilized more physician services, including neurologists and general practitioners, compared to controls. This increased utilization led to higher healthcare costs for Parkinsonism management.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Health Services Research
- Public Health
Background:
- Parkinsonism is a progressive neurological disorder demanding specialized management.
- Effective care for Parkinsonism requires significant clinical expertise.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate physician utilization and associated costs in a large cohort of Parkinsonism patients.
- To compare healthcare resource utilization between Parkinsonism patients and matched controls.
Main Methods:
- A six-year study of 15,304 Parkinsonism patients and 30,608 controls in Ontario, Canada.
- Analysis of physician utilization patterns and costs within a universal healthcare system.
- Comparison of neurologist, family physician, and internist consultations between patient and control groups.
Main Results:
- 45% of Parkinsonism patients saw neurologists annually; cumulative consultation rate was 59.5% over six years.
- Younger patients (<65) were more likely to consult neurologists (73.3%) than older patients (≥65, 37.2%).
- Nearly all Parkinsonism patients (97.2%) saw family physicians/general practitioners annually, and 50.4% saw internal medicine consultants.
Conclusions:
- Parkinsonism patients showed higher utilization of neurologists, primary care physicians, and internists compared to controls.
- Physician service costs were elevated for Parkinsonism patients.
- Further research is needed to compare outcomes and costs across different physician providers for Parkinsonism care.
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