title: Variations in health services utilization by primary care patients.
abstract: This study analyses how both ambulatory care groups (ACGs) and physician characteristics explain the variability in health-service use among primary care patients in Spain. During the period 1996-1997, data derived from 52,152 patients and their 38 respective primary care physicians were collected. The response variables were as follows: number of visits; diagnostic tests requested; and referrals to a specialist. ACGs are an important variable that should be taken into account in order to explain health-service utilization. As for professionals, age and the post they hold are essential factors. Most of the unexplained variability is caused by patient characteristics.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Estumatologia, Facultad de Odontologia, Universidad de Granada, Campus Univeristario de Cartuja, 18080 Granada, Spain.
authors.forename: Victoria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Bolaños-Carmona
authors.forename: Ricardo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ocaña-Riola
authors.forename: Alexandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Prados-Torres
authors.forename: Pilar
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gutiérrez-Cuadra
mesh_terms: D000553:Ambulatory Care / Q000145:classification* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003625:Data Collection; D005260:Female; D006302:Health Services Research; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008511:Medicine; D017146:Models, Organizational; D009819:Office Visits / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D013030:Spain; D013038:Specialization