Continuity of care in private medical and dental services
The continuity of patient-doctor relationships is a key dimension of quality of care, which has been found to be associated with both better outcomes and lower costs. The purpose of this study is to examine the current state and development of continuity of care in private medical and dental services over the past 20 years and the factors associated with continuity of care. The data used is Kela's register of reimbursements for medical expenses. This data is used to calculate the average Continuity of Care Index (COCI) of patients who have used medical and dental services in different sectors over a 2-year period from 2003 to 2022. Regression analysis is used to examine the association of age, sex, share of remote contacts, and place of residence with continuity of care. The results are expected to provide new information on the continuity of care in private services, which can be used to develop Kela’s system of reimbursement for medical expenses.
Researchers
- Tero Kujanpää, Leading Researcher
- Riitta Luoto
- Mikko Nurminen
- Timo Hujanen
- Hennamari Mikkola
Project duration
1.1.2024–31.12.2024. The project has ended.
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