Continuity of care for elderly patients with diabetes mellitus, hypertension, asthma, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in Korea.
We sought to assess continuity of care for elderly patients in Korea and to examine any association between continuity of care and health outcomes (hospitalization, emergency department visits, health care costs). This was a retrospective cohort study using the Korea National Health Insurance Claims Database. Elderly people, 65-84 yr of age, who were first diagnosed with diabetes mellitus (n=268,220), hypertension (n=858,927), asthma (n=129,550), or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD, n=131,512) in 2002 were followed up for four years, until 2006. The mean of the Continuity of Care Index was 0.735 for hypertension, 0.709 for diabetes mellitus, 0.700 for COPD, and 0.663 for asthma. As continuity of care increased, in all four diseases, the risks of hospitalization and emergency department visits decreased, as did health care costs. In the Korean health care system, elderly patients with greater continuity of care with health care providers had lower risks of hospital and emergency department use and lower health care costs. In conclusion, policy makers need to develop and try actively the program to improve the continuity of care in elderly patients with chronic diseases.
Hong
Jae Seok
JS
Health Insurance Review & Assessment Policy Institute, Health Insurance Review & Assessment Service, Seoul, Korea. dr_hongjs@hanmail.net
Kang
Hee Chung
HC
Kim
Jaiyong
J
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001249:Asthma / Q000191:economics*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003266:Continuity of Patient Care / Q000191:economics*; D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis; D016208:Databases, Factual; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000191:economics*; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000191:economics; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000191:economics; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000191:economics*; D008297:Male; D009313:National Health Programs; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000191:economics*; D056910:Republic of Korea; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012306:Risk
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