How much do patients' preferences contribute to resource use?
Regional variation in health care use may stem, in part, from the fact that patients in high-utilization regions demand and receive more-intensive care. We examine the association between patients' care-seeking preferences and use of services, using a national survey of Medicare patients. Patients' preferences, in addition to health and sociodemographic characteristics, are associated with differences in individuals' use of office visits. However, we find that patients' preferences for seeking primary and specialty medical care do not play a significant role in explaining regional variation in health care use.
Anthony
Denise L
DL
Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire, USA. danthony@dartmouth.edu
Herndon
M Brooke
MB
Gallagher
Patricia M
PM
Barnato
Amber E
AE
Bynum
Julie P W
JP
Gottlieb
Daniel J
DJ
Fisher
Elliott S
ES
Skinner
Jonathan S
JS
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002755:Choice Behavior; D005260:Female; D005382:Financing, Personal / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D017048:Health Care Costs / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006295:Health Resources / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D006278:Medicare; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014481:United States; D014600:Utilization Review / Q000706:statistics & numerical data