Healthcare intensity is associated with lower ratings of healthcare quality by younger adults.
Previous studies suggest a negative relationship between regional intensity of healthcare services and Medicare patients' perceptions of healthcare quality. However, no studies to date have examined the relationship across a broad age range of the population. We describe the responses of 64 088 respondents aged 19 to 69 years to an online interactive patient assessment and feedback system. We learn that in higher-intensive regions, specialty use is higher regardless of patient illness burden and that overall quality of care was lower in higher-intensity regions. The findings that "more is not better" previously associated with Medicare patients seems to apply across a much broader age segment of the population.
Yasaitis
Laura
L
Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice, Hanover, New Hampshire 03755, USA. yasaitis@dartmouth.edu
Fisher
Elliot
E
Mackenzie
Todd A
TA
Wasson
John
J
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006296:Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D011787:Quality of Health Care; D055815:Young Adult