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Measuring health status: information for primary care decision making
Paul Kind1, Geoff Hardman, Brenda Leese
1Outcomes Research Group, Centre for Health Economics, University of York, York YO1 5DD, UK. pk1@york.ac.uk
Health Policy (Amsterdam, Netherlands)
|February 8, 2005
Summary
Measuring patient health status over time using the EQ-5D in general practitioner (GP) surgeries is feasible. This approach helps identify health issues and allows primary care organisations to better allocate resources.
Area of Science:
- Health Services Research
- Public Health
- General Practice
Background:
- Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) require methods to assess patient benefit from healthcare services.
- Measuring patient health status longitudinally is a key strategy for evaluating healthcare outcomes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the feasibility of administering the EQ-5D questionnaire in general practitioner (GP) settings.
- To explore how EQ-5D results can inform primary care practices and PCTs for population health improvement.
Main Methods:
- An opportunistic sample of 1942 patients attending GP surgeries completed the EQ-5D.
- A follow-up survey, including the EQ-5D and healthcare utilization data, was sent to 770 patients one year later.
Main Results:
- Significant age-related variations in self-reported health status were observed.
- Age and specific diagnostic codes influenced patient health status.
- The EQ-5D proved useful for identifying patients with particular health conditions within GP practices.
Conclusions:
- The EQ-5D is a feasible tool for use in GP surgeries to monitor patient health.
- Findings can guide primary care organisations in targeting health resources more effectively to address specific patient needs.