title: Will having a named general practitioner for older people improve care and reduce hospital admissions in England?
abstract: In England, the Department of Health's planned introduction of a named and accountable family doctor (general practitioner) for patients older than 75 years is aimed at reducing the increasing number of unplanned hospital admissions observed in this group and driving down the associated health care costs. In this article, we explore the debate surrounding the plans and the potential impact of the contractual change on patients and health care practitioners, both intended and unintended.
authors.affiliation: Public Health Directorate, Leicestershire County Council, Leicestershire (Ms Douglas-Pannett), and Department of Primary Care and Public Health, Imperial College London, London (Dr Gnani), United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Lucy
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Douglas-Pannett
authors.forename: Shamini
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gnani
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003363:Cost Control; D003657:Decision Making; D004739:England; D005260:Female; D058005:General Practitioners; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000191:economics* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010343:Patient Admission / Q000191:economics* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*