Provision of primary care by office-based rheumatologists - Results from the National Ambulatory Medical Care surveys, 1991-1995

作     者：Ward, MM 

作者机构：Vet Affairs Palo Alto Hlth Care Syst Palo Alto CA 94304 USA Stanford Univ Sch Med Stanford CA 94305 USA 

出 版 物：《ARTHRITIS AND RHEUMATISM》 (关节炎与风湿病)

年 卷 期：1999年第42卷第3期

页      面：409-414页

核心收录：

学科分类：1002[医学-临床医学] 100201[医学-内科学(含：心血管病、血液病、呼吸系病、消化系病、内分泌与代谢病、肾病、风湿病、传染病)] 10[医学] 

主　　题：门诊医疗/人力 门诊医疗/利用 卫生保健调查 诊室就医/利用 病人接受卫生保健的程度/统计学和数值数据 医师的作用 初级卫生保健/人力 初级卫生保健/利用 转诊和会诊/统计学和数值数据 风湿病学/人力 风湿病学/统计学和数值数据 美国 青少年 成年人 女(雌)性 人类 男(雄)性 中年人 

摘      要：Objective. To determine the extent to which office-based rheumatologists provide primary care to patients without rheumatic diseases or provide principal care to patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), Methods. The National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey was used to determine national probability estimates of the nature and types of conditions treated by office-based rheumatologists in 1991-1995. At each of 1,074 patient visits, the rheumatologists recorded up to 3 diagnoses and 3 patient-reported reasons for the visit, as well as information on the treatments provided at the visit. Results. In only 9.8% of new consultations and 11.9% of return visits was neither a rheumatic disease diagnosis nor a musculoskeletal complaint recorded, indicating that the rheumatologist was likely acting as a primary care provider at a minority of patient visits. Among continuing patients with RA, the patient s primary reason for the visit was something other than a musculoskeletal complaint in only 9.9% of visits, and any nonrheumatic complaint was recorded in 30.4% of visits, indicating that at only some visits was the rheumatologist acting as the principal caregiver. In addition, only 31.1% of visits included the provision of medication for a nonrheumatic condition. Conclusion. In 1991-1995, most visits to rheumatologists involved the provision of specialized or consultative care to patients with rheumatic diseases or musculoskeletal complaints, and few visits were made by patients without either indication. Provision of principal care by rheumatologists to patients with RA is not currently widespread.