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The Effect of Primary Care Provider Turnover on Patient Experience of Care and Ambulatory Quality of Care.

ABSTRACT: Primary care provider (PCP) turnover is common and can disrupt patient continuity of care. Little is known about the effect of PCP turnover on patient care experience and quality of care.To measure the effect of PCP turnover on patient experiences of care and ambulatory care quality.Observational, retrospective cohort study of a nationwide sample of primary care patients in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA). We included all patients enrolled in primary care at the VHA between 2010 and 2012 included in 1 of 2 national data sets used to measure our outcome variables: 326,374 patients in the Survey of Healthcare Experiences of Patients (SHEP; used to measure patient experience of care) associated with 8441 PCPs and 184,501 patients in the External Peer Review Program (EPRP; used to measure ambulatory care quality) associated with 6973 PCPs.Whether a patient experienced PCP turnover, defined as a patient whose provider (physician, nurse practitioner, or physician assistant) had left the VHA (ie, had no patient encounters for 12 months).Five patient care experience measures (from SHEP) and 11 measures of quality of ambulatory care (from EPRP).Nine percent of patients experienced a PCP turnover in our study sample. Primary care provider turnover was associated with a worse rating in each domain of patient care experience. Turnover was associated with a reduced likelihood of having a positive rating of their personal physician of 68.2% vs 74.6% (adjusted percentage point difference, -5.3; 95% CI, -6.0 to -4.7) and a reduced likelihood of getting care quickly of 36.5% vs 38.5% (adjusted percentage point difference, -1.1; 95% CI, -2.1 to -0.1). In contrast, PCP turnover was not associated with lower quality of ambulatory care except for a lower likelihood of controlling blood pressure of 78.7% vs 80.4% (adjusted percentage point difference, -1.44; 95% CI, -2.2 to -0.7). In 9 measures of ambulatory care quality, the difference between patients who experienced no PCP turnover and those who had a PCP turnover was less than 1 percentage point. These effects were moderated by the patients' continuity with their PCP prior to turnover, with a larger detrimental effect of PCP turnover among those with higher continuity prior to the turnover.Primary care provider turnover was associated with worse patient experiences of care but did not have a major effect on ambulatory care quality.

SUBMITTER: Reddy A

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5561428 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Project description:BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic and the need for physical distancing has led to rapid uptake of virtual visits to deliver ambulatory health care. Despite widespread adoption, there has been limited evaluation of the quality of care being delivered through virtual modalities for ambulatory care sensitive conditions (ACSCs).ObjectiveTo characterize patients' and providers' experiences with the quality and sustainability of virtual care for ACSCs.DesignThis was a multi-method study utilizing quantitative and qualitative data from patient surveys, provider surveys, and provider focus groups at a large academic ambulatory care hospital between May 2020 and June 2021. We included patients and providers utilizing telephone or video visits for the following ACSCs: hypertension, angina, heart failure, atrial fibrillation, diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or asthma.Main measuresQuantitative and qualitative patient and provider survey responses were mapped to the Six Domains of Healthcare Quality framework. Provider focus groups were coded to identify themes within each quality domain.Key resultsSurveys were completed by 110/352 (31%) consenting patients and 20/61 (33%) providers. 5 provider focus groups were held with 14 participants. Patients found virtual visits to be generally more convenient than in-person visits for ACSCs. The perceived effectiveness of virtual visits was dependent on the clinical and social complexity of individual encounters. Respondents reported difficulty forming effective patient-provider relationships in the virtual environment. Patients and providers felt that virtual care has potential to both alleviate and exacerbate structural barriers to equitable access to care.ConclusionsIn a large academic ambulatory care hospital, patients and providers experienced the quality of virtual visits for the management of ACSCs to be variable depending on the biopsychosocial complexity of the individual encounter. Our findings in each quality domain highlight key considerations for patients, providers and institutions to uphold the quality of virtual care for ACSCs.

Project description:ImportanceThe Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) expanded Medicaid eligibility at the discretion of states to US individuals earning up to 138% of the federal poverty level (FPL) and made private insurance subsidies available to most individuals earning up to 400% of the FPL. Its national impact remains debated.ObjectiveTo determine the association of the ACA with ambulatory quality, patient experience, utilization, and cost.Design, setting, and participantsThis cross-sectional study used difference-in-differences (DiD) analyses comparing outcomes before (2011-2013) and after (2014-2016) ACA implementation for US adults aged 18 to 64 years with income below and greater than or equal to 400% of the FPL. Participants were respondents to the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey, a nationally representative annual survey. Data analysis was performed from January 2021 to March 2022.ExposuresACA implementation.Main outcomes and measuresFor quality and experience, this study examined previously published composites based on individual measures, including high-value care composites (eg, preventive testing) and low-value care composites (eg, inappropriate imaging), an overall patient experience rating, a physician communication composite, and an access-to-care composite. For utilization, outpatient, emergency, and inpatient encounters and prescribed medicines were examined. Overall and out-of-pocket expenditures were analyzed for cost.ResultsThe total sample included 123 171 individuals (mean [SD] age, 39.9 [13.4] years; 65 034 women [52.8%]). After ACA implementation, adults with income less than 400% of the FPL received increased high-value care (diagnostic and preventive testing) compared with adults with income 400% or higher of the FPL (change from 70% to 72% vs change from 84% to 84%; adjusted DiD, 1.20%; 95% CI, 0.18% to 2.21%; P = .02) with no difference in any other quality composites. Individuals with income less than 400% of the FPL had larger improvements in experience, communication, and access composites compared with those with income greater than or equal to 400% of the FPL (global rating of health, change from 69% to 73% vs change from 79% to 81%; adjusted DiD, 2.12%; 95% CI, 0.18% to 4.05%; P = .03). There were no differences in utilization or cost, except that receipt of primary care increased for those with lower income vs those with higher income (change from 65% to 66% vs change from 80% to 77%; adjusted DiD, 2.97%; 95% CI, 1.18% to 4.77%; P = .001) and total out-of-pocket expenditures decreased for those with lower income vs those with higher income (change from $504 to $439 vs from $757 to $769; adjusted DiD, -$105.50; 95% CI, -$167.80 to -$43.20; P = .001).Conclusions and relevanceIn this cross-sectional national study, the ACA was associated with improved patient experience, communication, and access and decreased out-of-pocket expenditures, but little or no change in quality, utilization, and total cost.

Project description:ObjectiveTo understand disparities in primary care patient experience.DesignA serial cross-sectional study was conducted to understand disparities in patient experience at 2 time points (2014 and 2016). Disparities related to age, gender, neighbourhood income, and self-rated health were explored using 3 analytic approaches: stratification, logistic regression, and relative comparison across multiple demographic variables.SettingA multisite family health team in Toronto, Ont.ParticipantsPatients in the family medicine practice who completed e-mail surveys in 2014 (n = 1171, 19% response rate) and 2016 (n = 1823, 15% response rate).Main outcome measuresPatient-reported access (timely access when sick, access after hours) and patient-centredness (opportunity to ask questions, involvement in care decisions, enough time with provider).ResultsPerformance for all measures improved between 2014 and 2016, with the greatest absolute improvement seen in access after hours (61% in 2014; 75% in 2016). Patients residing in low-income neighbourhoods reported worse patient experiences than those in high-income neighbourhoods did, as did patients with poor versus excellent self-rated health, even after adjustment for other variables. For example, in 2016, 60% of patients residing in low-income neighbourhoods reported timely access when sick versus 70% in high-income neighbourhoods (adjusted odds ratio of 0.67, 95% CI 0.47 to 0.95); 60% of patients with poor or fair self-rated health reported timely access when sick versus 72% with excellent self-rated health (adjusted odds ratio of 0.54, 95% CI 0.35 to 0.84). Comparing across demographic groups, patients with excellent self-rated health and poor or fair self-rated health reported the best and worst experiences, respectively, for all measures. In 2016, the average disparity between subgroups was largest for access after hours.ConclusionIn this setting, patient experience was worse for patients in lower-income neighbourhoods and those with poor or fair self-rated health. Access after hours demonstrated the greatest overall absolute improvement but also the greatest widening of disparities.

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The Effect of Primary Care Provider Turnover on Patient Experience of Care and Ambulatory Quality of Care.

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