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01-02-2008 | Original Paper

A Co-payment for Consultant Services: Primary Care Physicians’ Referral Actualization

Authors: Daniel A. Vardy, Tami Freud, Michael Sherf, Ofer Spilberg, Dan Goldfarb, Arnon D. Cohen, Shlomo Mor-Yosef, Pesach Shvartzman

Published in: Journal of Medical Systems | Issue 1/2008

Abstract

Prospective evaluation of the effect of a new co-payment for specialists consultations on actualization of referrals (2,432 patient), was examined. Actualization of the appointment, reasons for not actualizing, and sociodemographic characteristics were recorded. Actualization was 85.1% in community consultation clinics and 91.7% in hospital outpatient clinics. The main reasons for non actualization were: inability to reach the clinic (53.4%), the problem had resolved (15%), and co-payment (2%). In addition, 19.1% stated that they did not actualize a past consultant visit due to co-payment. Referring physicians noted that co-payment had some effect on their decision, especially with the elderly or lower income patients. A relatively small compulsory co-payment was not found to have a long term effect on utilization of specialists’ services.

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Title: A Co-payment for Consultant Services: Primary Care Physicians’ Referral Actualization
Authors: Daniel A. Vardy
Tami Freud
Michael Sherf
Ofer Spilberg
Dan Goldfarb
Arnon D. Cohen
Shlomo Mor-Yosef
Pesach Shvartzman
Publication date: 01-02-2008
Publisher: Springer US
Published in: Journal of Medical Systems / Issue 1/2008
Print ISSN: 0148-5598
Electronic ISSN: 1573-689X
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10916-007-9105-9

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Springer Medicine

A Co-payment for Consultant Services: Primary Care Physicians’ Referral Actualization

Abstract

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on medication adherence

Springer Medicine

Abstract

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