Relationship between continuity of primary care and hospitalisation for patients with COPD: population-based cohort study from South Korea

Abstract

Objectives: The existing evidence for the impacts of continuity of care (COC) in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is low to moderate. This study aimed to investigate the associations between relational COC within primary care and COPD-related hospitalisations using a robust methodology.

Design: Population-based cohort study.

Setting: National Health Insurance Service database, South Korea.

Participants: 92 977 adults (≥40 years) with COPD newly diagnosed between 2015 and 2016 were included. The propensity score (PS) matching approach was used. PSs were calculated from a multivariable logistic regression that included eight baseline characteristics.

Exposure: COC within primary care.

Main outcome measures: The primary outcome was the incidence of COPD-related hospitalisations. Cox proportional hazard models were used to estimate HRs and 95% CIs.

Results: Out of 92 977 patients, 66 677 of whom were cared for continuously by primary doctors (the continuity group), while 26 300 were not (the non-continuity group). During a 4-year follow-up period, 2094 patients (2.25%) were hospitalised; 874 (1.31%) from the continuity group and 1220 (4.64%) from the non-continuity group. After adjusting for confounding covariates, patients in the non-continuity group exhibited a significantly higher risk of hospital admission (adjusted HR (aHR) 2.43 (95% CI 2.22 to 2.66)). This risk was marginally reduced to 2.21 (95% CI 1.99 to 2.46) after PS matching. The risk of emergency department (ED) visits, systemic corticosteroid use and costs were higher for patients in the non-continuity group (aHR 2.32 (95% CI 2.04 to 2.63), adjusted OR 1.25 (95% CI 1.19 to 1.31) and exp^β=1.89 (95% CI 1.82 to 1.97), respectively). These findings remained consistent across the PS-matched cohort, as well as in the sensitivity and subgroup analyses.

Conclusions: In patients with COPD aged over 40, increased continuity of primary care was found to be associated with less hospitalisation, fewer ED visits and lower healthcare expenditure.

Keywords: COPD epidemiology.