Costs of Out-of-Hours Primary Care in the Netherlands
Author Information
Author(s): Caro JT van Uden, Andre JHA Ament, Gemma BWE Voss, Geertjan Wesseling, Ron AG Winkens, Onno CP van Schayck, Harry FJM Crebolder
Primary Institution: University Hospital Maastricht
Hypothesis
What are the cost implications of different models of out-of-hours primary care in the Netherlands?
Conclusion
The costs of primary care are more influenced by the population size than by whether the GP cooperative is integrated with the hospital emergency department.
Supporting Evidence
- The integrated GP cooperative had slightly higher costs but also more patient contacts compared to the separated model.
- Costs of the ED remained unchanged despite a reduction in patient numbers after the GP cooperative was established.
- Personnel costs accounted for over three-quarters of the total costs in both GP cooperatives.
Takeaway
This study looked at how much it costs to provide out-of-hours care by GPs in the Netherlands, finding that the size of the area they serve matters more than how they are organized.
Methodology
Annual reports of two GP cooperatives were analyzed for costs and use of out-of-hours care.
Potential Biases
Potential bias due to the closure of EDs in the region affecting cost assessments.
Limitations
The study did not assess the costs of the ED in the separated setting, which may introduce bias.
Participant Demographics
The study involved two GP cooperatives serving populations of approximately 190,000 and 285,000.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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