Healthcare service utilization in the first year after admission into home medical care among elderly patients in Singapore

Abstract

Introduction: The main aim of present study is to determine the trend of healthcare service utilization during the first year of admission of home medical patients. Materials and Methods: Records of 1,069 patients were examined. Results: Scheduled visits [IRR (95% confidence interval, 95% CI), 0.77 (0.75–0.79)], unscheduled visits [IRR (95% CI), 0.82 (0.75–0.86)] and phone calls [IRR (95% CI), 0.77 (0.74–0.81)] had significant decreasing linear trend from the first to fourth quarter. Doctor encounters [IRR (95% CI), 0.64 (0.61–0.68)], nurse encounters [IRR (95% CI), 0.81 (0.78–0.83)] and therapist encounters [IRR (95% CI), 0.61 (0.28–1.32)] also had decreasing linear trend. Conclusion: Healthcare utilization of home medical patients declines from first to fourth quarter of admission.

Keywords

• healthcare utilization of elderly patients
• home care
• long term care
• continuum of care