Influence of Geographic Access on Surgical Center Readmissions After Index Congenital Heart Surgery.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the impact of geographic access to surgical center on readmission risk and burden in children after congenital heart surgery. STUDY DESIGN: Children <6 years old at discharge after congenital heart surgery (Risk Adjustment for Congenital Heart Surgery-1 score 2-6) were identified using Pediatric Health Information System data (46 hospitals, 2004-2015). Residential distance from the surgery center, calculated using ZIP code centroids, was categorized as <15, 15-29, 30-59, 60-119, and ≥120 miles. Rurality was defined using rural-urban commuting area codes. Geographic risk factors for unplanned readmissions to the surgical center and associated burden (total hospital length of stay [LOS], costs, and complications) were analyzed using multivariable regression. RESULTS: Among 59 696 eligible children, 19 355 (32%) had ≥1 unplanned readmission. The median LOS was 9 days (IQR 22) across the entire cohort. In those readmitted, median total costs were $31 559 (IQR $90 176). Distance from the center was inversely related but rurality was positively related to readmission risk. Among those readmitted, increased distance was associated with longer LOS, more complications, and greater costs. Compared with urban patients, highly rural patients were more likely to have an unplanned readmission but had fewer average readmission days. CONCLUSIONS: Geographic measures of access differentially affect readmission to the surgery center. Increased distance from the center was associated with fewer unplanned readmissions but more complications. Among those readmitted, the most isolated patients had the greatest readmission costs. Understanding the contribution of geographic access will aid in developing strategies to improve care delivery to this population.

Geographical affiliation with top 10 NIH-funded academic medical centers and differences between mortality from cardiovascular disease and cancer.

Community engagement and rapid translation of findings for the benefit of patients has been noted as a major criterion for NIH decisions regarding allocation of funds for research priorities. We aimed to examine whether the presence of top NIH-funded institutions resulted in a benefit on the cardiovascular and cancer mortality of their local population. METHODS AND RESULTS: Based on the annual NIH funding of every academic medical from 1995 through 2014, the top 10 funded institutes were identified and the counties where they were located constituted the index group. The comparison group was created by matching each index county to another county which lacks an NIH-funded institute based on sociodemographic characteristics. We compared temporal trends of age-standardized cardiovascular mortality between the index counties and matched counties and states. This analysis was repeated for cancer mortality as a sensitivity analysis. From 1980 through 2014, the annual cardiovascular mortality rates declined in all counties. In the index group, the average decline in cardiovascular mortality rate was 51.5 per 100,000 population (95% CI, 46.8-56.2), compared to 49.7 per 100,000 population (95% CI, 45.9-53.5) in the matched group (P = .27). Trends in cardiovascular mortality of the index counties were similar to the cardiovascular mortality trends of their respective states. Cancer mortality rates declined at higher rates in counties with top NIH-funded medical centers (P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: Cardiovascular mortality rates have decreased with no apparent incremental benefit for communities with top NIH-funded institutions, underscoring the need for an increased focus on implementation science in cardiovascular diseases.

[Local public health services: a descriptive study of the municipalities of Catalonia in 2016]. / Los servicios locales de salud pública: estudio descriptivo de los municipios de Catalunya en 2016.

OBJECTIVE: The health system in Spain rests mostly in the Autonomous Communities (similar to the states in the US). The public health activities of many local governments are little studied. The objective of this work was to bring knowledge about the public health activities of the municipalities, providing information obtained from a recent survey in Catalonia. METHODS: Descriptive study based on a survey to public health officers in the 119 municipalities above 10,000 population in Catalonia, excluding the city of Barcelona. The survey was conducted between May and October 2016, with 103 municipalities (86.6%) reporting on their services in 2015, prior to the survey. Data were collected and descriptive analyses performed. RESULTS: A consolidation of both political and professional public health structures of the municipalities was observed. Most frequent activities in health protection were related to legionella control, the control of urban pests and the management of complaints and requests by citizens. Most frequent activities in the field of health promotion were related to physical activity and health, prevention in tobacco and alcohol, food and nutrition. There were relatively few changes reported in public health structures and their officers, as well as in human resources. CONCLUSIONS: In Catalonia, municipalities above 10,000 population have a remarkable level of activity in public health. Both the areas of health protection (with mandatory minimum services for local governments) and of health promotion show high levels of activity. The system seems stable regarding political changes and budget constraints. There are opportunities for improvement in the training of professionals and service accreditation. It would be desirable to find ways to improve coordination among these services.

OBJETIVO: El sistema sanitario en España pivota sobre las Comunidades Autónomas. La salud pública gestionada por muchos gobiernos locales está poco estudiada. El objetivo de este trabajo fue contribuir al conocimiento de las actividades de salud pública de los municipios con una encuesta reciente. METODOS: Estudio descriptivo basado en cuestionario a los responsables de salud pública de los 119 municipios mayores de 10,000 habitantes de Catalunya, excluyendo la ciudad de Barcelona. Se realizó entre mayo y octubre de 2016, respondiendo 103 municipios (86,6 %) sobre la situación en 2015, anterior a la encuesta. Los datos se tabularon y sometieron a análisis descriptivos. RESULTADOS: Se apreció una consolidación de las estructuras políticas y técnicas de los municipios en salud pública. Las actuaciones más frecuentes en protección de la salud eran las referidas a la legionelosis, el control de plagas urbanas y la gestión de quejas y denuncias de la ciudadanía; en el ámbito de la promoción de la salud fueron actividad física y salud, prevención en tabaco y alcohol, alimentación y nutrición. Se refirieron relativamente pocos cambios recientes en las estructuras de salud pública, de sus responsables, y de los recursos humanos. CONCLUSIONES: Los municipios catalanes de más de 10.000 habitantes tienen un notable nivel de actividad en salud pública. Tanto los ámbitos de protección de la salud (con servicios mínimos obligatorios para los gobiernos locales) como los de promoción de la salud muestran niveles altos de actividad. El sistema parece estable respecto a cambios políticos y restricciones presupuestarias. Hay oportunidades de mejora en formación de profesionales y acreditación de servicios. Sería deseable mejorar la coordinación entre estos servicios.

Scratching the Surface of Psychiatric Services Distribution and Public Health: an Indiana Assessment.

Mental illness is a leading cause of disability with many public health implications. Previous studies have demonstrated a national shortage of psychiatrists, particularly in rural areas. An analysis of how this workforce distribution relates to population demographics and public/behavioral health is lacking in the literature. This study encompassed a statewide assessment of the Indiana psychiatric workforce as it relates to population characteristics and public/behavioral health. This study's findings demonstrate a profoundly low psychiatry workforce in rural counties of Indiana. The low psychiatry workforce capacity in rural counties is so disparate that the demographic and public/behavioral health characteristics differ from the State averages in the same manner as counties without a psychiatrist at all. The psychiatric workforce distribution did not differ significantly on the basis of poverty prevalence. The potential utility of indicators of population health was also evaluated and revealed that social factors such as poverty and Medicaid prevalence may be superior to more traditional measures.

Ambulance Density and Outcomes After Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest.

BACKGROUND: In out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA), geographic disparities in outcomes may reflect baseline variations in patients' characteristics but may also result from differences in the number of ambulances providing basic life support (BLS) and advanced life support (ALS). We aimed at assessing the association between allocated ambulance resources and outcomes in OHCA patients in a large urban community. METHODS: From May 2011 to January 2016, we analyzed a prospectively collected Utstein database for all OHCA adults. Cases were geocoded according to 19 neighborhoods and the number of BLS (firefighters performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation and applying automated external defibrillator) and ALS ambulances (medicalized team providing advanced care such as drugs and endotracheal intubation) was collected. We assessed the respective associations of Utstein parameters, socioeconomic characteristics, and ambulance resources of these neighborhoods using a mixed-effect model with successful return of spontaneous circulation as the primary end point and survival at hospital discharge as a secondary end point. RESULTS: During the study period, 8754 nontraumatic OHCA occurred in the Greater Paris area. Overall return of spontaneous circulation rate was 3675 of 8754 (41.9%) and survival rate at hospital discharge was 788 of 8754 (9%), ranging from 33% to 51.1% and from 4.4% to 14.5% respectively, according to neighborhoods ( P<0.001). Patient and socio-demographic characteristics significantly differed between neighborhoods ( P for trend <0.001). After adjustment, a higher density of ambulances was associated with successful return of spontaneous circulation (respectively adjusted odds-ratio [aOR], 1.31 [1.14-1.51]; P<0.001 for ALS ambulances >1.5 per neighborhood and aOR, 1.21 [1.04-1.41]; P=0.01 for BLS ambulances >4 per neighborhood). Regarding survival at discharge, only the number of ALS ambulances >1.5 per neighborhood was significant (aOR, 1.30 [1.06-1.59] P=0.01). CONCLUSIONS: In this large urban population-based study of out-of-hospital cardiac arrests patients, we observed that allocated resources of emergency medical service are associated with outcome, suggesting that improving healthcare organization may attenuate disparities in prognosis.

Which strategies might improve local primary healthcare in Germany? An explorative study from a local government point of view.

BACKGROUND: Facing rising inequities and poorer accessibility of physicians in rural areas, new healthcare delivery structures are being considered to support local healthcare in German communities. To better understand perspectives on and attitudes towards different supplementary models, we examined attitudes among local politicians in the German federal state of Lower Saxony towards the suitability of supplementary care models. METHODS: As part of a cross-sectional study, we surveyed local politicians in Lower Saxony at the local authority and district levels (n = 449) by mail questionnaire. We asked for an assessment of four potential supplementary healthcare models at the local level: the use of trained medical assistants, patients' buses, mobile physicians' offices, and telemedicine. RESULTS: The response rate was 71.0% for mayors (n = 292) and 81.6% (n = 31) for county administrators. In summary, 72.4% of respondents supported the use of trained medical assistants, 48.9% voted for patients' buses, 22.0% for mobile physicians' offices, and 13.9% for telemedicine. Except for telemedicine, the politicians' approval of the supplementary models in rural areas was higher than in urban areas. The assessment regarding the suitability of each model was not significantly connected with indicators of a positively or negatively assessed local healthcare situation. The analyses showed that the use of trained medical assistants was associated with the positive effects of division of labor and potential to relieve physicians. In contrast, there was skepticism about technical support via telemedicine, mostly due to concerns about its unsuitability for elderly people and the potential lower quality of healthcare delivery. CONCLUSION: Local politicians widely accept the use of trained medical assistants, whereas the applicability of technical solutions such as telemedicine is perceived with skepticism. Therefore, the knowledge gap between evidence for and prejudices against telemedicine needs to be addressed more effectively. Reasons for the assessments of the presented models are more likely traceable to personal views than to assessments of the actual estimated local primary care situation.

General practitioners in German metropolitan areas - distribution patterns and their relationship with area level measures of the socioeconomic status.

BACKGROUND: Geographical variation of the general practitioner (GP) workforce is known between rural and urban areas. However, data about the variation between and within urban areas are lacking. METHOD: We analyzed distribution patterns of GP full time equivalents (FTE) in German cities with a population size of more than 500,000. We correlated their distribution with area measures of social deprivation in order to analyze preferences within neighborhood characteristics. For this purpose, we developed two area measures of deprivation: Geodemographic Index (GDI) and Cultureeconomic Index (CEI). RESULTS: In total n = 9034.75 FTE were included in n = 14 cities with n = 171 districts. FTE were distributed equally on inter-city level (mean: 6.49; range: 5.12-7.20; SD: 0.51). However, on intra-city level, GP distribution was skewed (mean: 6.54; range: 1.80-43.98; SD: 3.62). Distribution patterns of FTE per 10^4 residents were significantly correlated with GDI (r = -0.49; p < 0.001) and CEI (r = -0.22; p = 0.005). Therefore, location choices of GPs were mainly positively correlated with 1) central location (r = -0.50; p < 0.001), 2) small household size of population (r = -0.50; p < 0.001) and 3) population density (r = 0.35; p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Intra-city distribution of GPs was skewed, which could affect the equality of access for the urban population. Furthermore, health services planners should be aware of GP location preferences. This could be helpful to better understand and plan delivery of health services. Within this process the presented Geodemographic Index (GDI) could be of use.

Pharmacy density in rural and urban communities in the state of Oregon and the association with hospital readmission rates.

OBJECTIVES: To characterize the pharmacy density in rural and urban communities with hospitals and to examine its association with readmission rates. DESIGN: Ecologic study. SETTING: Forty-eight rural and urban primary care service areas (PCSAs) in the state of Oregon. PARTICIPANTS: All hospitals in the state of Oregon. INTERVENTION: Pharmacy data were obtained from the Oregon Board of Pharmacy based on active licensure. Pharmacy density was calculated by determining the cumulative number of outpatient pharmacy hours in a PCSA. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Oregon hospital 30-day all-cause readmission rates were obtained from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and were determined with the use of claims data of patients 65 years of age or older who were readmitted to the hospital within 30 days from July 2012 to June 2013. RESULTS: Readmission rates for Oregon hospitals ranged from 13.5% to 16.5%. The cumulative number of pharmacy hours in PCSAs containing a hospital ranged from 54 to 3821 hours. As pharmacy density increased, the readmission rates decreased, asymptotically approaching a predicted 14.7% readmission rate for areas with high pharmacy density. CONCLUSION: Urban hospitals were in communities likely to have more pharmacy access compared with rural hospitals. Future research should determine if increasing pharmacy access affects readmission rates, especially in rural communities.

Inequalities in utilization of maternal and child health services in Ethiopia: the role of primary health care.

BACKGROUND: Health systems aim to narrow inequality in access to health care across socioeconomic groups and area of residency. However, in low-income countries, studies are lacking that systematically monitor and evaluate health programs with regard to their effect on specific inequalities. We aimed to measure changes in inequality in access to maternal and child health (MCH) interventions and the effect of Primary Health Care (PHC) facilities expansion on the inequality in access to care in Ethiopia. METHODS: The Demographic and Health Survey datasets from Ethiopia (2005 and 2011) were used. We calculated changes in utilization of MCH interventions and child morbidity. Concentration and horizontal inequity indices were estimated. Decomposition analysis was used to calculate the contribution of each determinant to the concentration index. RESULTS: Between 2005 and 2011, improvements in aggregate coverage have been observed for MCH interventions in Ethiopia. Wealth-related inequality has remained persistently high in all surveys. Socioeconomic factors were the main predictors of differences in maternal and child health services utilization and child health outcome. Utilization of primary care facilities for selected maternal and child health interventions have shown marked pro-poor improvement over the period 2005-2011. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that expansion of PHC facilities in Ethiopia might have an important role in narrowing the urban-rural and rich-poor gaps in health service utilization for selected MCH interventions.

Population-based geographic access to endocrinologists in the United States, 2012.

BACKGROUND: Increases in population and life expectancy of Americans may result in shortages of endocrinologists by 2020. This study aims to assess variations in geographic accessibility to endocrinologists in the US, by age group at state and county levels, and by urban/rural status, and distance. METHODS: We used the 2012 National Provider Identifier Registry to obtain office locations of all adult and pediatric endocrinologists in the US. The population with geographic access to an endocrinologist within a series of 6 distance radii, centered on endocrinologist practice locations, was estimated using the US Census 2010 block-level population. We assumed that persons living within the same circular buffer zone of an endocrinologist location have the same geographic accessibility to that endocrinologist. The geographic accessibility (the percentage of the population with geographic access to at least one endocrinologist) and the population-to-endocrinologist ratio for each geographic area were estimated. RESULTS: By using 20 miles as the distance radius, geographic accessibility to at least one pediatric/adult endocrinologist for age groups 0-17, 18-64, and ≥ 65 years was 64.1%, 85.4%, and 82.1%. The overall population-to-endocrinologist ratio within 20 miles was 39,492:1 for children, 29,887:1 for adults aged 18-64 years, and 6,194:1 for adults aged ≥ 65 years. These ratios varied considerably by state, county, urban/rural status, and distance. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates that there are geographic variations of accessibility to endocrinologists in the US. The areas with poorer geographic accessibility warrant further study of the effect of these variations on disease prevention, detection, and management of endocrine diseases in the US population. Our findings of geographic access to endocrinologists also may provide valuable information for medical education and health resources allocation.

Time-dependent ambulance allocation considering data-driven empirically required coverage.

Empirical studies considering the location and relocation of emergency medical service (EMS) vehicles in an urban region provide important insight into dynamic changes during the day. Within a 24-hour cycle, the demand, travel time, speed of ambulances and areas of coverage change. Nevertheless, most existing approaches in literature ignore these variations and require a (temporally and spatially) fixed (double) coverage of the planning area. Neglecting these variations and fixation of the coverage could lead to an inaccurate estimation of the time-dependent fleet size and individual positioning of ambulances. Through extensive data collection, now it is possible to precisely determine the required coverage of demand areas. Based on data-driven optimization, a new approach is presented, maximizing the flexible, empirically determined required coverage, which has been adjusted for variations due to day-time and site. This coverage prevents the EMS system from unavailability of ambulances due to parallel operations to ensure an improved coverage of the planning area closer to realistic demand. An integer linear programming model is formulated in order to locate and relocate ambulances. The use of such a programming model is supported by a comprehensive case study, which strongly suggests that through such a model, these objectives can be achieved and lead to greater cost-effectiveness and quality of emergency care.

Surgical needs of Nepal: pilot study of population based survey in Pokhara, Nepal.

BACKGROUND: The Surgeons OverSeas assessment of surgical need (SOSAS) tool, a population-based survey on surgical conditions in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), was performed in Sierra Leone and Rwanda. This pilot study in Nepal is the initial implementation of the SOSAS survey in South Asia. METHODS: A pilot study of SOSAS, modified for Nepal's needs and reprogrammed using mobile data collection software, was undertaken in Pokhara in January 2014. Cluster randomized sampling was utilized to interview 100 individuals in 50 households within two wards of Pokhara, one rural and one urban. The first portion of the survey retrieved demographic data, including household members and time to nearest health facilities. The second portion interviewed two randomly selected individuals from each household, inquiring about surgical conditions covering six anatomical regions. RESULTS: The pilot SOSAS in Nepal was easily completed over 3 days, including training of 18 Nepali interns over 2 days. The response rate was 100 %. A total of 13 respondents had a current surgical need (face 4, chest 1, back 1, abdomen 1, groin 3, extremity 3), although eight reported there was no need for surgical care. Five respondents (5 %) had a current unmet surgical need. CONCLUSION: The SOSAS pilot study in Nepal was successfully conducted, demonstrating the feasibility of performing SOSAS in South Asia. The estimated 5 % current unmet surgical need will be used for sample size calculation for the full country survey. Utilizing and improving on the SOSAS tool to measure the prevalence of surgical conditions in Nepal will help enumerate the global surgical burden of disease.

Does the design and implementation of proven innovations for delivering basic primary health care services in rural communities fit the urban setting: the case of Ghana's Community-based Health Planning and Services (CHPS).

BACKGROUND: Rapid urban population growth is of global concern as it is accompanied with several new health challenges. The urban poor who reside in informal settlements are more vulnerable to these health challenges. Lack of formal government public health facilities for the provision of health care is also a common phenomenon among communities inhabited by the urban poor. To help ameliorate this situation, an innovative urban primary health system was introduced in urban Ghana, based on the milestones model developed with the rural Community-Based Health Planning and Services (CHPS) system. This paper provides an overview of innovative experiences adapted while addressing these urban health issues, including the process of deriving constructive lessons needed to inform discourse on the design and implementation of the sustainable Community-Based Health Planning and Services (CHPS) model as a response to urban health challenges in Southern Ghana. METHODS: This research was conducted during the six-month pilot of the urban CHPS programme in two selected areas acting as the intervention and control arms of the design. Daily routine data were collected based on milestones initially delineated for the rural CHPS model in the control communities whilst in the intervention communities, some modifications were made to the rural milestones. RESULTS: The findings from the implementation activities revealed that many of the best practices derived from the rural CHPS experiment could not be transplanted to poor urban settlements due to the unique organizational structures and epidemiological characteristics found in the urban context. For example, constructing Community Health Compounds and residential facilities within zones, a central component to the rural CHPS strategy, proved inappropriate for the urban sector. Night and weekend home visit schedules were initiated to better accommodate urban residents and increase coverage. The breadth of the disease burden of the urban residents also requires a broader expertise and training of the CHOs. CONCLUSIONS: Access to improved urban health services remains a challenge. However, current policy guidelines for the implementation of a primary health model based on rural experiences and experimental design requires careful review and modifications to meet the needs of the urban settings.

Study of the sexuality and demand for gynecologic services by high school students in the city of Rio de Janeiro.

OBJECTIVE: To identify the sexual and reproductive profile and demand for gynecologic services by high school girls in the city of Rio de Janeiro. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study carried out by administration of a questionnaire filled in by the respondents on their own, given to students at 3 high schools with different socioeconomic profiles: private, state, and federal. The questions covered socio-demographic characteristics, sexual behavior, and demand for gynecologic services. The data were analyzed by the Yates chi-square test and Student t-test, with P < .05. SETTING: Three high schools in the city of Rio de Janeiro. INTERVENTIONS: None. PARTICIPANTS: Female high school students. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Age, race, socioeconomic level, parents' schooling, and sexual activity. RESULTS: A total of 418 students participated, 122 from a private school, 165 from a state public school, and 131 from a federal public school. The state school students were predominantly black and had the lowest socioeconomic level, with their parents having the fewest average years of schooling. They also reported the most sexual partners, pregnancies, and abortions. Their characteristics differed significantly from those of the private and federal school students, which were similar to each other. The average age of first sexual activity was similar for all the respondents and the first visit to a gynecologist occurred significantly later among the state school students. CONCLUSIONS: The more frequent pregnancies and abortions by the state school students can be a consequence of the lower demand for or insufficient access to gynecologic services, depriving these students of the necessary care to promote sexual and reproductive health. This demonstrates the need for public policies that promote and facilitate access to routine preventive gynecologic care by low-income adolescent girls.

Disparity in the spatial distribution of clinics within a metropolitan city.

A methodology for evaluating and understanding how healthcare agencies are distributed within a city is provided. The study undertaken analysed the disparity in the spatial distribution of clinics within the metropolitan city of Daejeon, South Korea. Address and specialty of clinics in use were collected from five public health centres in 2010. Buffer analysis, hot-spot analysis, and generalized linear models were applied to the data collected. Multivariate analysis was also conducted on data collected in 2008 from the annual records of five ward offices (mid-level city administration units) taking the lowest administrative level of the city (the dong) into account. Buffer analysis showed that numerous clinics were located near major roads, while the hot-spot analysis identified three areas with concentrations of clinics and one area with hardly any clinics. The results of the generalized linear models showed variations depending on the specialty of the clinics suggesting that their distribution differed depending on specialty. There are no current regulations in force governing clinic location. Policy makers should consider improving the clinic distribution taking their speciality into account.

Trend of urban-rural disparities in hospice utilization in Taiwan.

AIMS: The palliative care has spread rapidly worldwide in the recent two decades. The development of hospice services in rural areas usually lags behind that in urban areas. The aim of our study was to investigate whether the urban-rural disparity widens in a country with a hospital-based hospice system. METHODS: From the nationwide claims database within the National Health Insurance in Taiwan, admissions to hospices from 2000 to 2006 were identified. Hospices and patients in each year were analyzed according to geographic location and residence. RESULTS: A total of 26,292 cancer patients had been admitted to hospices. The proportion of rural patients to all patients increased with time from 17.8% in 2000 to 25.7% in 2006. Although the numbers of beds and the utilizations in both urban and rural hospices expanded rapidly, the increasing trend in rural areas was more marked than that in urban areas. However, still two-thirds (898/1,357) of rural patients were admitted to urban hospices in 2006. CONCLUSIONS: The gap of hospice utilizations between urban and rural areas in Taiwan did not widen with time. There was room for improvement in sufficient supply of rural hospices or efficient referral of rural patients.

Increasing access--a qualitative study of homelessness and palliative care in a major urban center.

Rates of morbidity and mortality are significantly higher in homeless populations. Homeless people experience many barriers to receive adequate palliative care. This qualitative study examines how a major urban city's palliative care resources can be improved to increase access and better serve the homeless. Audiotaped interviews were preformed with 7 homeless care providers in Toronto, Canada, and their transcripts were analyzed using thematic analysis. The findings of the study suggest that in order to increase access and to serve the city's terminally ill homeless better, the following 4 areas must be addressed: (1) increasing positive interaction between the health care system and the homeless, (2) training staff to deal with the unique issues confronting the homeless, (3) providing patient-centered care, and (4) diversifying the methods of delivery.

Examining the geographic distribution of French-speaking physicians in Ontario.

OBJECTIVE: To determine how many physicians in Ontario express a proficiency in providing services in the French language, and to assess the geographic distribution of such physicians. DESIGN: Population-based analysis of the 2007 College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario Annual Membership Renewal Survey. SETTING: Ontario. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 22 688 GPs, FPs, and other specialists certified by the College of Family Physicians of Canada and the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada who responded to the survey. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: First official language spoken and languages of competency to conduct practice. RESULTS: The physician-to-patient ratio by first official language spoken is 1 physician per 138 Francophone patients in Ontario. There is 1 French-speaking GP or FP for every 297 Francophone patients, and most French-speaking physicians are located in southern Ontario (91.4%), at a ratio of 1 physician per 111 Francophone patients. The most promising French-speaking physician-to-Francophone patient ratios are found in southern Ontario (1:248 for GPs and FPs, and 1:202 for other specialists) and in urban Ontario (1:266 for GPs and FPs, and 1:209 for other specialists). CONCLUSION: Clearly, there is a promising number of physicians, relative to the amount of French-speaking residents in Ontario, who identified a competency in offering services in French. However, while the number of physicians who indicated a self-assessed competency to deliver health services in French is promising, it is the maldistribution of such services that is of concern. Thus, efforts must be made to attract French-speaking physicians to areas where there is the greatest demand, particularly in the northern part of the province.