Primary care indicators for disease burden, monitoring and surveillance of COVID-19 in 31 European countries: Eurodata Study.

BACKGROUND: During the COVID-19 pandemic, the majority of patients received ambulatory treatment, highlighting the importance of primary health care (PHC). However, there is limited knowledge regarding PHC workload in Europe during this period. The utilization of COVID-19 PHC indicators could facilitate the efficient monitoring and coordination of the pandemic response. The objective of this study is to describe PHC indicators for disease surveillance and monitoring of COVID-19's impact in Europe. METHODS: Descriptive, cross-sectional study employing data obtained through a semi-structured ad hoc questionnaire, which was collectively agreed upon by all participants. The study encompasses PHC settings in 31 European countries from March 2020 to August 2021. Key-informants from each country answered the questionnaire. Main outcome: the identification of any indicator used to describe PHC COVID-19 activity. RESULTS: Out of the 31 countries surveyed, data on PHC information were obtained from 14. The principal indicators were: total number of cases within PHC (Belarus, Cyprus, Italy, Romania and Spain), number of follow-up cases (Croatia, Cyprus, Finland, Spain and Turkey), GP's COVID-19 tests referrals (Poland), proportion of COVID-19 cases among respiratory illnesses consultations (Norway and France), sick leaves issued by GPs (Romania and Spain) and examination and complementary tests (Cyprus). All COVID-19 cases were attended in PHC in Belarus and Italy. CONCLUSIONS: The COVID-19 pandemic exposes a crucial deficiency in preparedness for infectious diseases in European health systems highlighting the inconsistent recording of indicators within PHC organizations. PHC standardized indicators and public data accessibility are urgently needed, conforming the foundation for an effective European-level health services response framework against future pandemics.

Assessment of Human Papillomavirus Vaccination in Primary Care Among Swiss University Students.

Importance: Human papillomavirus vaccination coverage rates lie below desired thresholds in Switzerland. Because general practitioners are the main contact for the relatively rare health issues of many Swiss young adults, primary care offers an important opportunity to provide catch-up human papillomavirus vaccination. Objective: To examine the knowledge, experiences, and attitudes of Swiss university students in the context of receiving human papillomavirus vaccination during primary care visits. Design, Setting, and Participants: This self-administered, cross-sectional, web-based survey study was conducted among students of 3 universities and 1 educational institution for health professions in the Swiss Canton of Zurich. Specific questions about human papillomavirus vaccination experience were directed to respondents who had received at least 1 dose administered by a general practitioner. Responses were collected during 12-week intervals between November 11, 2020, and April 7, 2021, and data were analyzed from August 3 to August 30, 2022. Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary outcome was whether human papillomavirus vaccination had been administered on the patient's or the general practitioner's initiative. Results: The responses of 5524 participants (median [IQR] age, 23 [21-25] years; 3878 women [70.2%]) were analyzed. The survey completion rate was 90.9% (5524 of 6076 students who consented to participate). A total of 2029 respondents (1792 women [46.2%] and 237 men [14.6%]) reported having received at least 1 human papillomavirus vaccination dose, of whom 740 (36.5%) had received at least 1 dose administered by a general practitioner. Among these, 190 respondents (25.7%) reported that vaccine administration had occurred on their request rather than on their general practitioner's initiative. Among all respondents, 4778 (86.5%) wanted to obtain more information about human papillomavirus vaccination at a general practitioner's office, and 2569 (55.3%) rated acute consultations in general practice as inappropriate for addressing human papillomavirus vaccination. Conclusions and Relevance: The findings of this survey study of Swiss university students suggest that primary care shows a high potential for increasing human papillomavirus vaccination coverage rates in Switzerland. However, there was room for improvement in the proactivity of general practitioners, especially with men, and in the attitudes of students toward the appropriateness of acute consultations in general practice for addressing human papillomavirus vaccination.

The Swiss Approach - feasibility of a national low-dose CT lung cancer screening program.

BACKGROUND: Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in Switzerland. Despite this, there is no lung cancer screening program in the country. In the United States, low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) lung cancer screening is partially established and endorsed by guidelines. Moreover, evidence is growing that screening reduces lung cancer-related mortality and this was recently shown in a large European randomized controlled trial. Implementation of a lung cancer screening program, however, is challenging and depends on many country-specific factors. The goal of this article is to outline a potential Swiss lung cancer screening program. FRAMEWORK: An exhaustive literature review on international screening models as well as interviews and site visits with international experts were initiated. Furthermore, workshops and interviews with national experts and stakeholders were conducted to share experiences and to establish the basis for a national Swiss lung cancer screening program. SCREENING APPROACH: General practitioners, pulmonologists and the media should be part of the recruitment process. Decentralisation of the screening might lead to a higher adherence rate. To reduce stigmatisation, the screening should be integrated in a "lung health check". Standardisation and a common quality level are mandatory. The PLCOm2012 risk calculation model with a threshold of 1.5% risk for developing cancer in the next six years should be used in addition to established inclusion criteria. Biennial screening is preferred. LUNG RADS and NELSON+ are applied as classification models for lung nodules. CONCLUSION: Based on data from recent studies, literature research, a health technology assessment, the information gained from this project and a pilot study the Swiss Interest Group for lung cancer screening (CH-LSIG) recommends the timely introduction of a systematic lung cancer screening program in Switzerland. The final decision is for the Swiss Cancer Screening Committee to make.

The Effect of Financial Incentives on Quality Measures in the Treatment of Diabetes Mellitus: a Randomized Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND: Financial incentives are often used to improve quality of care in chronic care patients. However, the evidence concerning the effect of financial incentives is still inconclusive. OBJECTIVE: To test the effect of financial incentives on quality measures (QMs) in the treatment of patients with diabetes mellitus in primary care. We incentivized a clinical QM and a process QM to test the effect of financial incentives on different types of QMs and to investigate the spill-over effect on non-incentivized QMs. DESIGN/PARTICIPANTS: Parallel cluster randomized controlled trial based on electronic medical records database involving Swiss general practitioners (GPs). Practices were randomly allocated. INTERVENTION: All participants received a bimonthly feedback report. The intervention group additionally received potential financial incentives on GP level depending on their performance. MAIN MEASURES: Between-group differences in proportions of patients fulfilling incentivized QM (process QM of annual HbA1c measurement and clinical QM of blood pressure level below 140/95 mmHg) after 12 months. KEY RESULTS: Seventy-one GPs (median age 52 years, 72% male) from 43 different practices and subsequently 3838 patients with diabetes mellitus (median age 70 years, 57% male) were included. Proportions of patients with annual HbA1c measurements remained unchanged (intervention group decreased from 79.0 to 78.3%, control group from 81.5 to 81.0%, OR 1.09, 95% CI 0.90-1.32, p = 0.39). Proportions of patients with blood pressure below 140/95 improved from 49.9 to 52.5% in the intervention group and decreased from 51.2 to 49.0% in the control group (OR 1.16, 95% CI 0.99-1.36, p = 0.06). Proportions of non-incentivized process QMs increased significantly in the intervention group. CONCLUSION: GP level financial incentives did not result in more frequent HbA1c measurements or in improved blood pressure control. Interestingly, we could confirm a spill-over effect on non-incentivized process QMs. Yet, the mechanism of spill-over effects of financial incentives is largely unclear. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ISRCTN13305645.

Change in Colorectal Cancer Tests Submitted for Reimbursement in Switzerland 2012-2018: Evidence from Claims Data of a Large Insurance.

Objectives: Guidelines recommend colorectal cancer (CRC) screening by fecal occult blood test (FOBT) or colonoscopy. In 2013, Switzerland introduced reimbursement of CRC screening by mandatory health insurance for 50-69-years-olds, after they met their deductible. We hypothesized that the 2013 reimbursement policy increased testing rate. Methods: In claims data from a Swiss insurance, we determined yearly CRC testing rate among 50-75-year-olds (2012-2018) and the association with socio-demographic, insurance-, and health-related covariates with multivariate-adjusted logistic regression models. We tested for interaction of age (50-69/70-75) on testing rate over time. Results: Among insurees (2012:355'683; 2018:348'526), yearly CRC testing rate increased from 2012 to 2018 (overall: 8.1-9.9%; colonoscopy: 5.0-7.6%; FOBT: 3.1-2.3%). Odds ratio (OR) were higher for 70-75-year-olds (2012: 1.16, 95%CI 1.13-1.20; 2018: 1.05, 95%CI 1.02-1.08). Deductible interacted with changes in testing rate over time (p < 0.001). The increase in testing rate was proportionally higher among 50-69-years-olds than 70-75-year-olds over the years. Conclusions: CRC testing rate in Switzerland increased from 2012 to 2018, particularly among 50-69-years-olds, the target population of the 2013 law. Future studies should explore the effect of encouraging FOBT or waiving deductible.

Long-Term Effects of Financial Incentives for General Practitioners on Quality Indicators in the Treatment of Patients With Diabetes Mellitus in Primary Care-A Follow-Up Analysis of a Cluster Randomized Parallel Controlled Trial.

Background: The effect of financial incentives on the quality of primary care is of high interest, and so is its sustainability after financial incentives are withdrawn. Objective: To assess both long-term effects and sustainability of financial incentives for general practitioners (GPs) in the treatment of patients with diabetes mellitus based on quality indicators (QIs) calculated from routine data from electronic medical records. Design/Participants: Randomized controlled trial using routine data from electronic medical records of patients with diabetes mellitus of Swiss GPs. Intervention: During the study period of 24 months, all GPs received bimonthly feedback reports with information on their actual treatment as reflected in QIs. In the intervention group, the reports were combined with financial incentives for quality improvement. The incentive was stopped after 12 months. Measurements: Proportion of patients meeting the process QI of annual HbA1c measurements and the clinical QI of blood pressure levels below 140/85 mmHg. Results: A total of 71 GPs from 43 different practices were included along with 3,854 of their patients with diabetes mellitus. Throughout the study, the proportion of patients with annual HbA1c measurements was stable in the intervention group (78.8-78.9%) and decreased slightly in the control group (81.5-80.2%) [odds ratio (OR): 1.21; 95% CI: 1.04-1.42, p < 0.05]. The proportion of patients achieving blood pressure levels below 140/85 mmHg decreased in the control group (51.2-47.2%) and increased in the intervention group (49.7-51.9%) (OR: 1.18; 95% CI: 1.04-1.35, p < 0.05) where it peaked at 54.9% after 18 months and decreased steadily over the last 6 months. Conclusion: After the withdrawal of financial incentives for the GPs after 12 months, some QIs still improved, indicating that 1 year might be too short to observe the full effect of such interventions. The decrease in QI achievement rates after 18 months suggests that the positive effects of time-limited financial incentives eventually wane.

Price trends of reimbursed oncological drugs in Switzerland in 2005-2019: A descriptive analysis.

Increasing oncological treatment costs are a major global concern with the risk of entailing two-tiered health care. Among cost determining factors is the price of individual drugs. In recognition of the central role of this factor, we present a comprehensive overview of the development of monthly prices of oncological drugs introduced over the last 15 years in Switzerland. We identified all oncological drugs newly reimbursed by mandatory health insurance in 2005-2019, and searched public repositories for their package prices, indications with approval dates, and treatment regimens for the calculation of (indication-specific) monthly prices. We found 81 products covering 77 different substances (39.5% protein kinase inhibitors, 21.0% monoclonal antibodies). Most indications related to the topography "blood", followed by "lung and thorax" and "digestive tract". From 2005­2009 to 2015­2019, the median monthly product price over all distinct indications of all products decreased by 7.56% (CHF 5,699 [interquartile range 4,483­7,321] to CHF 5,268 [4,019­6,967]), whereas it increased by 73.7% for monoclonal antibodies. In December 2019, six products had monthly prices over CHF 10,000, all approved for hematological or dermatological cancers. Our analysis suggests that individual price developments of oncological drugs are presently not the major driver of rising cancer treatment costs. However, rising launch prices of some new, mostly hematological drugs are of concern and require continued monitoring.

Effects of a DRG-based hospital reimbursement on the health care utilization and costs in Swiss primary care: A retrospective "quasi-experimental" analysis.

INTRODUCTION: In Switzerland, a nationwide Swiss Diagnosis related Groups (Swiss DRG) system for hospital reimbursement was introduced in 2012. However, the impact of DRG systems on primary care is still unclear with respect to number of consultations and costs. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of the implementation of DRG on costs and volumes in the primary care sector, on a nationwide basis in Switzerland. METHODS: The study retrospectively analysed yearly data, from 2008 to 2014, of almost 60 Swiss health insurers that covered almost all Swiss general practitioners, with a total number of patients which represented approximately 76% of the Swiss population. GP consultations, total numbers and rates, and the relative costs reimbursed (TARMED tariff values) in the Swiss federal states, cantons, which already introduced a DRG-like system before 2012 (AP-DRG), were compared to the GP consultations and costs reimbursed in the other cantons (DRG-naive). Regression discontinuity design analysis and mixed regression models, at cantonal level, were performed to evaluate the effect of the nationwide implementation of the Swiss DRG on health care demand and costs in the primary care setting. Change in outcome level and yearly trend pattern difference between groups (AP-DRG vs. DRG-naive) were examined. RESULTS: Overall, the total number of GP consultations and the relative TARMED values increased from 2008 to 2014. In the DRG naive, 15 cantons: in 2008, the number of GP consultations were 13,114,126, with a TARMED value of 1,194,957,157 CHF, and in 2014, the GP consultation were 13,752,511, with a TARMED value of 1,513,861,260 CHF. In the AP-DRG group, 11 cantons, the total number of GP consultations increased from 8,787,646, in 2008, to 9,347,168 in 2014 and the TARMED value increased from 896,673,657 CHF in 2008, to 1,100,203,508 CHF in 2014. The yearly trend pattern of GP consultations and TARMED values, in the AP-DRG group, were not significantly different from the respective trends in the DRG- naive and, overall, no significant change was detected in consultations and costs trends before and after 2012. DISCUSSION/CONCLUSION: This study found no evidence of any effect of the introduction of the SwissDRG on the yearly trend of primary care consultations and costs. Nevertheless, potential negative impacts on vulnerable patients, as chronically ill patients, could not be excluded and further investigation is required.

Quality performance and associated factors in Swiss diabetes care - A cross-sectional study.

INTRODUCTION: Quality indicators and pay-for-performance schemes aim to improve processes and outcomes in clinical practice. However, general practitioner and patient characteristics influence quality indicator performance. In Switzerland, no data on the pay-for-performance approach exists and the use of quality indicators has been marginal. The aim of this study was to describe quality indicator performance in diabetes care in Swiss primary care and to analyze associations of practice, general practitioner and patient covariates with quality indicator performance. METHODS: For this cross-sectional study, we used medical routine data from an electronic medical record database. Data from 71 general practitioners and all their patients with diabetes were included. Starting in July 2018, we retrieved 12-month retrospective data about practice, general practitioner and patient characteristics, laboratory values, comorbidities and co-medication. Based on this data, we assessed quality indicator performance of process and intermediate outcomes for glycated hemoglobin, blood pressure, cholesterol and associations of practice, general practitioner and patient characteristics with individual and cumulative quality indicator performance. We calculated odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) using regression methods. RESULTS: We assessed 3,383 patients with diabetes (57% male, mean age 68.3 years). On average, patients fulfilled 3.56 (standard deviation: 1.89) quality indicators, whereas 17.2% of the patients fulfilled all six quality indicators. On practice and general practitioner level, we found no associations with cumulative quality indicator performance. On patient level, gender (ref = male) (OR: 0.83, CI: 0.78-0.88), number of treating general practitioners (OR: 0.94, CI: 0.91-0.97), number of comorbidities (OR: 1.43, CI: 1.38-1.47) and number of consultations (OR: 1.02, CI: 1.02-1.02) were associated with cumulative quality indicator performance. CONCLUSION: The influence of practice, general practitioner and patient characteristics on quality indicator performance was surprisingly small and room for improvement in quality indicator performance of Swiss general practitioners seems to exist in diabetes care.

Effects of managed care on the proportion of inappropriate elective diagnostic coronary angiographies in non-emergency patients in Switzerland: a retrospective cross-sectional analysis.

OBJECTIVE: Guidelines recommend non-invasive ischaemia testing (NIIT) for the majority of patients with suspected ischaemic heart disease in a non-emergency setting. A substantial number of these patients undergo diagnostic coronary angiography (CA) without therapeutic intervention inappropriately due to lacking preceding NIIT. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of voluntary healthcare models with limited access on the proportion of patients without NIIT prior to elective purely diagnostic CA. DESIGN: Retrospective cross-sectional analysis of insurance claims data from 2012 to 2015. Data included claims of basic and voluntary healthcare models from approximately 1.2 million patients enrolled with the Helsana Insurance Group. Voluntary healthcare models with limited health access are divided into gate keeping (GK) and managed care (MC) capitation models. INCLUSION CRITERIA: patients undergoing CA. EXCLUSION CRITERIA: Patients<18 years, incomplete health insurance data coverage, acute cardiac ischaemia and emergency procedures, therapeutic CA (coronary angioplasty/stenting or coronary artery bypass grafting). The effect of voluntary healthcare models on the proportion of NIIT undertaken within 2 months before diagnostic CA was assessed by means of multiple logistic regression analysis, controlled for influencing factors. RESULTS: 9173 patients matched inclusion criteria. 33.2% (3044) did not receive NIIT before CA. Compared with basic healthcare models, MC was independently associated with a higher proportion of NIIT (p<0.001, OR 1.17, CI 1.045 to 1.312), when additionally controlled for demographics, insurance coverage, inpatient treatment, cardiovascular medication, chronic comorbidities, high-risk status (patients with therapeutic cardiac intervention 1 month after or 18 months prior to diagnostic CA). GK models showed no significant association with the rate of NIIT (p=0.07, OR 1.11, CI 0.991 to 1.253). CONCLUSIONS: In a non-GK healthcare system, voluntary MC healthcare models with capitation were associated with a reduced inappropriate use of diagnostic CA compared with GK or basic models.

Impact of alternative healthcare plans on out-of-hours help-seeking intentions in Switzerland.

INTRODUCTION: In Switzerland, mandatory health insurance plans (standard) offer free access to secondary and emergency care. However, in return for a lower premium, individuals can choose alternative healthcare plans (HCPs), with either a general practitioner (GP) or a medical call centre (Telmed) acting as gatekeeper. AIM: To examine the impact of alternative HCPs on patients' intended help-seeking behaviour out-of-hours (OOH) in Switzerland. METHODS: A secondary analysis of the Swiss data collected for the EurOOHnet survey on help-seeking behaviour in Denmark, the Netherlands and Switzerland was made. The survey used hypothetical scenarios for measuring two outcome measures: intended help-seeking for (1) OOH care and (2) OOH face-to-face care. Binomial regression analyses were used to test the influence of HCPs on intended OOH help-seeking, adjusted for other (population) characteristics. RESULTS: Telmed-insured persons were more inclined to OOH help-seeking than persons with a standard HCP (odds ratio [OR] 2.28, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.91-2.72; controlled for other population factors), mainly driven by contact with the medical call centre (31 vs 5%), and were less inclined to have an OOH face-to-face contact (OR 0.69, 95% CI 0.55-0.87). Persons with a GP HCP had a lower intended use of face-to-face OOH care contacts than persons with a standard plan (OR 0.74, 95% CI 0.63-0.86). CONCLUSION: Alternative HCPs on a voluntary basis seem to influence the use of OOH care. These results could be relevant for policy makers, especially from non-gatekeeping countries, to reduce irrelevant use and subsequent costs of emergency and OOH care services.

Help-seeking behaviour outside office hours in Denmark, the Netherlands and Switzerland: a questionnaire study exploring responses to hypothetical cases.

OBJECTIVES: We aim to study the preferred behaviour among individuals from different age groups in three countries when acute health problems occur outside office hours and thereby to explore variations in help-seeking behaviour. DESIGN: A questionnaire study exploring responses to six hypothetical cases describing situations with a potential need for seeking medical care and questions on background characteristics. SETTING: General population in Denmark, the Netherlands and Switzerland. POPULATION: Danish, Dutch and Swiss individuals from three age groups (0-4, 30-39, 50-59 years). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Distribution of intended help-seeking preferences per case per age group, compared between countries. Differences in percentage of help-seeking outside office hours per age group and country, crude and adjusted for background characteristics. RESULTS: Danish and Dutch parents of children aged 0-4 years differed in intended help-seeking behaviour for five out of six cases (abdominal pain, red eyes, rash, relapse fever, chickenpox); Danish parents significantly more often chose to contact out-of-hours (OOH) care than Dutch parents. For adults aged 30-39 years, no significant difference between the three countries was found for contacting OOH care. Swiss adults aged 50-59 years had the highest percentage of OOH contacts (38.3%), followed by the Danish (33.4%) and the Dutch (32.5%). CONCLUSION: Some differences in help-seeking behaviour outside office hours exist between Danish, Dutch and Swiss individuals, particularly for parents of young children. The question remains whether these differences result from individual preferences, cultural disparities and/or health services variations. Future research should focus on identifying explanations for these differences to reduce undesirable use of OOH care.

The impact of financial incentives to improve quality indicators in patients with diabetes in Swiss primary care: a protocol for a cluster randomised controlled trial.

INTRODUCTION: There is only limited and conflicting evidence on the effectiveness of Pay-for-Performance (P4P) programmes, although they might have the potential to improve guideline adherence and quality of care. We therefore aim to test a P4P intervention in Swiss primary care practices focusing on quality indicators (QI) achievement in the treatment of patients with diabetes. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: This is a cluster-randomised, two-armed intervention study with the primary care practice as unit of randomisation. The control group will receive bimonthly feedback reports containing last data of blood pressure and glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) measurements. The intervention group will additionally be informed about a financial incentive for each percentage point improved in QI achievement. Primary outcomes are differences in process (measurement of HbA1c) and clinical QI (blood pressure control) between the two groups. Furthermore, we investigate the effect on non-incentivised QIs and on sustainability of the financial incentives. Swiss primary care practices participating in the FIRE (Family Medicine ICPC Research using Electronic Medical Record) research network are eligible for participation. The FIRE database consists of anonymised structured medical routine data from Swiss primary care practices. According to power calculations, 70 of the general practitioners contributing to the database will be randomised in either of the groups. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: According to the Local Ethics Committee of the Canton of Zurich, the project does not fall under the scope of the law on human research and therefore no ethical consent is necessary. Results will be published in a peer-reviewed journal. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: ISRCTN13305645; Pre-results.

Appropriateness of bone density measurement in Switzerland: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: According to the WHO, osteoporosis is one of the most important non- communicable diseases worldwide. Different screening procedures are controversially discussed, especially concerning the concomitant issues of overdiagnosis and harm caused by inappropriate Dual X-ray Absorptiometry (DXA). The aim of this study was to evaluate the frequency and appropriateness of DXA as screening measure in Switzerland considering individual risk factors and to evaluate covariates independently associated with potentially inappropriate DXA screening. METHODS: Retrospective cross-sectional study using insurance claim data of 2013. Among all patients with DXA screening, women < 65 and men < 70 years without osteoporosis or risk factors for osteoporosis were defined as receiving potentially inappropriate DXA. Statistics included descriptive measures and multivariable regressions to estimate associations of relevant covariates with potentially inappropriate DXA screening. RESULTS: Of 1,131,092 patients, 552,973 were eligible. Among those 2637 of 10,000 (26.4%) underwent potentially inappropriate DXA screening. Female sex (Odds ratio 6.47, CI 6.41-6.54) and higher age showed the strongest association with any DXA screening. Female gender (Odds ratio 1.84, CI 1.49-2.26) and an income among the highest 5% (Odds ratio 1.40, CI 1.01-1.98) were significantly positively associated with potentially inappropriate DXA screening, number of chronic conditions (Odds ratio 0.67, CI 0.65-0.70) and living in the central region of Switzerland (Odds ratio 0.67, CI 0.48-0.95) negatively. CONCLUSION: One out of four DXAs for screening purpose is potentially inappropriate. Stakeholders of osteoporosis screening campaigns should focus on providing more detailed information on appropriateness of DXA screening indications (e.g. age thresholds) in order to avoid DXA overuse.

Referral determinants in Swiss primary care with a special focus on managed care.

Studies have shown large variation of referral probabilities in different countries, and many influencing factors have been described. This variation is most likely explained by different healthcare systems, particularly to which extent primary care physicians (PCPs) act as gatekeepers. In Switzerland no mandatory gatekeeping system exists, however insurance companies offer voluntary managed care plans with reduced insurance premiums. We aimed at investigating the role of managed care plans as a potential referral determinant in a non-gatekeeping healthcare system. We conducted a cross-sectional study with 90 PCPs collecting data on consultations and referrals in 2012/2013. During each consultation up to six reasons for encounters (RFE) were documented. For each RFE PCPs indicated whether a referral was initiated. Determinants for referrals were analyzed by hierarchical logistic regression, taking the potential cluster effect of the PCP into account. To further investigate the independent association of the managed care plan with the referral probability, a hierarchical multivariate logistic regression model was applied, taking into account all available data potentially affecting the referring decision. PCPs collected data on 24'774 patients with 42'890 RFE, of which 2427 led to a referral. 37.5% of patients were insured in managed health care plans. Univariate analysis showed significant higher referral rates of patients with managed care plans (10.7% vs. 8.5%). The difference in referral probability remained significant after controlling for other confounders in the hierarchical multivariate regression model (OR 1.355). Patients in managed care plans were more likely to be referred than patients without such a model. These data contradict the argument that patients in managed care plans have limited healthcare access, but underline the central role of PCPs as coordinator of care.

Impact of structural and economic factors on hospitalization costs, inpatient mortality, and treatment type of traumatic hip fractures in Switzerland.

The assessment of structural and potentially economic factors determining cost, treatment type, and inpatient mortality of traumatic hip fractures are important health policy issues. We showed that insurance status and treatment in university hospitals were significantly associated with treatment type (i.e., primary hip replacement), cost, and lower inpatient mortality respectively. INTRODUCTION: The purpose of this study was to determine the influence of the structural level of hospital care and patient insurance type on treatment, hospitalization cost, and inpatient mortality in cases with traumatic hip fractures in Switzerland. METHODS: The Swiss national medical statistic 2011-2012 was screened for adults with hip fracture as primary diagnosis. Gender, age, insurance type, year of discharge, hospital infrastructure level, length-of-stay, case weight, reason for discharge, and all coded diagnoses and procedures were extracted. Descriptive statistics and multivariate logistic regression with treatment by primary hip replacement as well as inpatient mortality as dependent variables were performed. RESULTS: We obtained 24,678 inpatient case records from the medical statistic. Hospitalization costs were calculated from a second dataset, the Swiss national cost statistic (7528 cases with hip fractures, discharged in 2012). Average inpatient costs per case were the highest for discharges from university hospitals (US$21,471, SD US$17,015) and the lowest in basic coverage hospitals (US$18,291, SD US$12,635). Controlling for other variables, higher costs for hip fracture treatment at university hospitals were significant in multivariate regression (p < 0.001). University hospitals had a lower inpatient mortality rate than full and basic care providers (2.8% vs. both 4.0%); results confirmed in our multivariate logistic regression analysis (odds ratio (OR) 1.434, 95% CI 1.127-1.824 and OR 1.459, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.139-1.870 for full and basic coverage hospitals vs. university hospitals respectively). The proportion of privately insured varied between 16.0% in university hospitals and 38.9% in specialized hospitals. Private insurance had an OR of 1.419 (95% CI 1.306-1.542) in predicting treatment of a hip fracture with primary hip replacement. CONCLUSION: The seeming importance of insurance type on hip fracture treatment and the large inequity in the distribution of privately insured between provider types would be worth a closer look by the regulatory authorities. Better outcomes, i.e., lower mortality rates for hip fracture treatment in hospitals with a higher structural care level advocate centralization of care.

Implementation of a hospital-integrated general practice--a successful way to reduce the burden of inappropriate emergency-department use.

PRINCIPLES: Emergency departments (EDs) are overcrowded by lower acuity patients, which might be more efficiently treated by general practitioners (GPs). This study evaluated the impact of triaging lower acuity patients to a new hospital-integrated general practice (HGP) on ED case-load and the reasons for choosing the ED/HGP. METHODS AND RESULTS: Patients were consecutively assessed according to the emergency severity index (ESI) to triage lower acuity patients to the HGP. Consultation numbers at the emergency centre (ED and HGP) increased by 43% between 2007 (n = 16 974) and 2011 (n = 24 331) (implementation of HGP in 2009). Although self-referrals increased significantly at the emergency centre from 54% to 63% (p <0.001), the proportion of self-referrals at the ED was significantly reduced to 48% (p = 0.007). The HGP was able to reduce the burden of increasing total consultations by 36%; 4.6% were referred back to the ED after triaging to the HGP. Overall, 95% of HGP patients were self-referred, Swiss nationals (65%) and with a personal GP (82%) they attended regularly (69%). The most common reason for presenting at the emergency centre was not being able to reach the GP (60%). Diagnoses were injury- (29%) and infection- (23%) related problems affecting the musculoskeletal (27%) system and skin (21%). CONCLUSION: The HGP succeeded in reducing the burden of inappropriate ED use: the majority of low acuity self-referred patients were conclusively treated at the HGP. The HGP does not represent competition to the GP out-of-hours care service, since the main reason for presenting at the hospital was not lacking a relationship but the GPs' inaccessibility.

Types of abuse and risk factors associated with elder abuse.

PRINCIPLES: Detecting elder abuse is challenging because it is a taboo, and many cases remain unreported. This study aimed to identify types of elder abuse and to investigate its associated risk factors. METHODS: Retrospective analyses of 903 dossiers created at an Independent Complaints Authority for Old Age in the Canton of Zurich, Switzerland, from January 1, 2008 to October 31, 2012. Characteristics of victims and perpetrators, types of abuse, and associated risk factors related to the victim or the perpetrator were assessed. Bi- and multivariate analysis were used to identify abuse and neglect determinants. RESULTS: A total of 150 cases reflected at least one form of elder abuse or neglect; 104 cases were categorised as abuse with at least one type of abuse (overall 135 mentions), 46 cases were categorised as neglect (active or passive). Psychological abuse was the most reported form (47%), followed by financial (35%), physical (30%) and anticonstitutional abuse (18%). In 81% of the 150 cases at least two risk factors existed. In 13% no associated risk factor could be identified. Compared with neglect, elders with abuse were less likely to be a nursing home resident than living at home (odds ratio [OR] 0.02, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.00-0.19). In addition, they were more likely to be cohabiting with their perpetrators (OR 18.01, 95% CI 4.43-73.19). CONCLUSION: For the majority of the reported elder abuse cases at least two associated risk factors could be identified. Knowledge about these red flags and a multifaceted strategy are needed to identify and prevent elder abuse.

Effect of a patient-centered drug review on polypharmacy in primary care patients: study protocol for a cluster-randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Managing patients with polypharmacy is a challenging issue in primary care. The aim of this study is to determine whether a patient-centered systematic review leads to more appropriate medication use in patients without negatively affecting quality of life and the course of the disease. METHODS/DESIGN: The trial is a two-armed, double blinded cluster-randomized controlled trial. Primary care physicians (PCPs) will be randomly assigned to the intervention or control group. Physicians in the intervention group undergo training with instruction of the algorithm. The control group is given a lecture on multimorbidity and instructions for collecting data in a usual care manner. PCPs will approach patients aged 60 years or older who are taking 5 or more drugs. The study period is 1 year. The primary outcome measure is the change in the number of drugs 12 months after the algorithm was applied by the PCP during consultation with the patient. Secondary outcomes are: change in the number of drugs immediately after the encounter and 6 months later, reason for a change of the medication, discrepancy in the decision to change between PCP and patient, number of drugs for which the patient is suggesting a change, number of drugs the patient is taking that are not known to the PCP, time consumption of the intervention, disease-specific variables to evaluate the course of the disease(s) for which the patient is being treated , quality of life, barriers against using the algorithm, numbers of drugs readopted due to an unfavorable course of the disease, and numbers of drugs which have been started. DISCUSSION: Answering the four questions of the algorithm requires a weighing-up of risks and benefits and contains a shared-decision-making approach: a prioritization of the treatment goals is necessary. This can only be done in collaboration with the patient. The majority of patients with multimorbidity are treated in the primary care setting. This underlines the significance of our study carried out in this setting: given the high prevalence of adverse drug events in patients with multimorbidity an intervention like ours has a large potential to reduce drug-related morbidity. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ISRCTN16560559 13 November 2014.

Congruency of diabetes care with the Chronic Care Model in different Swiss health care organisations from the patients' perspective: a cross sectional study.

QUESTIONS UNDER STUDY: Patients with chronic illnesses like diabetes mellitus benefit from care following the concept of the Chronic Care Model. To improve quality and to be responsive to patients' needs reliable data on patients' view of care in different healthcare settings are required. We evaluated the congruency of diabetes care with the Chronic Care Model between managed and non-managed care organisations from a patient's perspective. METHODS: We compared type 2 diabetes patients from non-managed care with a managed care organisation in Switzerland. We evaluated differences between these settings with the Patient Assessment of Chronic Illness Care 5A questionnaire (PACIC 5A; scale from 1-5) that combines the PACIC and the 5A-approach of physicians' counselling. RESULTS: 374 patients completed the PACIC 5A (326 from non-managed care settings, 48 from managed care). The adjusted average PACIC summary score was 3.18 in the non-managed care compared to 3.49 in the managed care sample (p = 0.046). Managed care patients scored significantly higher in the subscales goal setting (2.86 vs 3.29; p = 0.015), advice (3.23 vs 3.64; p = 0.014), assist (2.98 vs 3.44; p = 0.016) and arrange (2.50 vs 2.88; p = 0.049). CONCLUSIONS: Our data from different health care settings suggest that managed care is recognised by type 2 diabetes patients as care that is more congruent with the Chronic Care Model and offers more intense behavioural counselling and self-management support compared with usual primary care in Switzerland. Future research should evaluate larger, more comparable patient groups.