Delineating the Type 2 Diabetes Population in the Netherlands Using an All-Payer Claims Database: Specialist Care,
Rose J Geurten1, Jeroen N Struijs2,3, Arianne M J Elissen4
1Department of Health Services Research, CAPHRI Care and Public Health Research Institute, Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands. r.geurten@maastrichtuniversity.nl.
Objectives:
The aim of this study was to describe the healthcare utilization and expenditures related to medical specialist care and medication of the entire type 2 diabetes population in the Netherlands in detail.
Methods:
For this retrospective, observational study, we used an all-payer claims database. Comprehensive data on specialist care and medication utilization and expenditures of the type 2 diabetes population (n = 900,522 in 2018) were obtained and analyzed descriptively. Data were analyzed across medical specialties and for various types of diabetes medication (or glucose-lowering drugs [GLDs]) and other medication.
Results:
Specialist care utilization was diverse: different medical specialties were visited by a considerable fraction of the type 2 diabetes population. Total expenditures on specialist care were €2498 million in 2018 (i.e., 10.6% of the national specialist care expenditures). In total, 97.8% of patients used other medication (not GLDs) and 81.8% used GLDs; 25.6% of medication expenditures were for GLDs. For both specialist care and medication, mean expenditures per treated patient were higher than median expenditures, indicating a skewed distribution of spending.
Conclusion:
Use of and expenditures on specialist care and medication of the type 2 diabetes population is diverse. These heterogeneous healthcare use patterns are likely caused by the presence of comorbidities. Additionally, we found that a small fraction of the population is responsible for a large share of the expenditures. A shift towards more patient-centered care could lead to health improvements and a reduction in overall costs, subsequently promoting the sustainability of healthcare systems.
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