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Changes in longer consultations for children in general practice

Gary L Freed1, Neil A Spike, Jillian R Sewell

  • 1Child Health Evaluation and Research Unit, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109-0456, USA. gfreed@med.umich.edu

Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health
|March 23, 2013
PubMed

Insights

Longer general practitioner (GP) consultations for children have decreased, despite population growth and rising chronic illness rates. This shift impacts primary care delivery for pediatric chronic and preventive health needs.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric primary care research
  • Health services research
  • General practice trends

Background:

  • Australian demographic changes include population growth and an increasing prevalence of chronic conditions in children.
  • General practitioner (GP) consultation patterns may be influenced by these demographic shifts.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate changes in the duration and proportion of longer GP consultations for children in Australia.
  • To assess if these changes correlate with Australia's demographic evolution.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of Medicare claims data (1996-2010) stratified by patient age and visit type (billing item number).
  • Examination of the Bettering the Evaluation of Care and Health (BEACH) database for changes in average visit duration and chronic condition prevalence in children.
  • Focus on the proportion and absolute numbers of longer consultations for children.

Main Results:

  • The absolute number of longer GP consultations for children declined between 1996 and 2010.
  • The proportion of all longer consultations provided to children also decreased.
  • GP consultation times for children did not increase from 2000 to 2010.

Conclusions:

  • Significant shifts in GP consultation patterns for children have been observed.
  • Increased urgency is needed for the healthcare system to address primary care for children's chronic and preventive health needs.
Abstract

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