title: Variability in potentially preventable hospitalisations: an observational study of clinical practice patterns of general practitioners and care outcomes in the Basque Country (Spain).
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explain the variability in the frequency of potentially preventable hospitalisations (ambulatory care sensitive conditions, ACSCs) based on factors at multiple levels (individual, health professional, health centre and health district), and specifically using resource efficiency indicators for general practitioners (GPs).
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional study. We analysed primary care electronic health records and hospital discharge data using multilevel mixed models.
  
  
  METHODS
  Primary care network of the Basque Health Service (Spain).
  
  
  METHODS
  All the residents in the Basque Country ≥14 years of age, covered by the public healthcare system (n=1,959,682), and all the GPs (n=1193) and health centres (n=130).
  
  
  METHODS
  Individuals admitted for ACSCs, over a 12- month period.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Admissions for ACSCs were less frequent among patients who were female, middle-aged or from the highest socioeconomic classes. The health centre variables considered and GP list size were not found to be significant. After adjusting for the variables studied including morbidity, the risk of hospital admission was higher among individuals under the care of GPs with greater than expected numbers of patient visits and prescribing costs (OR=1.27 (95% CI 1.18 to 1.37); 1.16 (1.08 to 1.25)), and who make fewer referrals than the mean among their colleagues (OR=1.33 (1.22 to 1.44)).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  When assessing activities and procedure indicators in primary care, we should also define outcome-based criteria. Specifically, GPs who are repeatedly visited by their patients, have higher prescribing costs and are more reluctant to refer patients to specialists obtain poorer outcomes.
authors.affiliation: Head of Centro de Salud de Astrabudua (Primary Health Care Center of Astrabudua), Osakidetza (Basque Health Service), Erandio, Bizkaia, Spain.
authors.forename: Juan F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Orueta
authors.affiliation: Primary Care Research Unit-Bizkaia, Osakidetza, Bilbao, Spain.
authors.forename: Arturo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: García-Alvarez
authors.affiliation: Primary Care Research Unit-Bizkaia, Osakidetza, Bilbao, Spain.
authors.forename: Gonzalo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Grandes
authors.affiliation: Deusto Business School Health, University of Deusto, Bilbao, Spain.
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Nuño-Solinís
mesh_terms: D000553:Ambulatory Care / Q000379:methods*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D058005:General Practitioners / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011315:Preventive Medicine / Q000379:methods*; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology
keywords: PRIMARY CARE