Researchers found that a greater primary care workforce (with an FTE measure reflective of ambulatory primary care) could lead to more favorable patient outcomes among Medicare beneficiaries, according to a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
For their study, researchers assessed outcomes of more than 5 million fee-for-service Medicare beneficiaries aged 65 years or older. Main outcomes measured include mortality, ambulatory care-sensitive condition hospitalizations and Medicare program spending.
Results showed when using AMA's Masterfile counts for office-based physicians per total population, beneficiaries in the highest quintile experienced fewer ASCS hospitalizations and lower rates of mortality than the lowest quintile of primary care physicians. There was no significant different in total Medicare spending among the highest and lowest quintile.
Based on office-based primary care clinical full-time equivalents, beneficiaries in the highest quintile also experienced lower mortality and ASCS hospitalizations but higher Medicare spending.
Read the study about patient outcomes based on primary care.
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For their study, researchers assessed outcomes of more than 5 million fee-for-service Medicare beneficiaries aged 65 years or older. Main outcomes measured include mortality, ambulatory care-sensitive condition hospitalizations and Medicare program spending.
Results showed when using AMA's Masterfile counts for office-based physicians per total population, beneficiaries in the highest quintile experienced fewer ASCS hospitalizations and lower rates of mortality than the lowest quintile of primary care physicians. There was no significant different in total Medicare spending among the highest and lowest quintile.
Based on office-based primary care clinical full-time equivalents, beneficiaries in the highest quintile also experienced lower mortality and ASCS hospitalizations but higher Medicare spending.
Read the study about patient outcomes based on primary care.
Related Articles on Primary Care:
American Academy of Family Physicians Responds to CMS' Proposed ACO Rule
HHS Could Deploy "Mystery Patients" to Evaluate Primary Care Physicians
Recruiting Physicians Takes Twice as Long as a Decade Ago