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Older Patients' Share of Office Visits Grows
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MedpageToday.com REPORTS HERE that "older patients account for a majority of physician office visits, which increasingly involve specialists who treat chronic conditions, according to government statistics. Patients 45 and older made 57% of all physician office visits in 2008, compared with 49% in 1998. Medical and surgical specialists accounted for 55% of office visits among patients 65 and older and 48% of visits among patients ages 45 to 64."

"U.S. demographics virtually assure that the trends in physician-service use will continue, possibly at a more rapid pace, findings from a study by the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) suggest."

"In the future, the percentage of visits for those aged 65 and over will increase as the baby boomers, currently aged 45 to 64, move into the 65-and-over age group..."

"Physician visits are becoming increasingly focused on management of chronic conditions such as hypertension, coronary atherosclerosis, and diabetes."

"From 1998 to 2008, the 65-and-older age group increased by 15%, and the 45-to-64 age group increased by 37%...As older patients have accounted for more ambulatory care, they also have accounted for a growing share of healthcare resources. From 1998 to 2008, the share of services and medications received by patients 45 and older increased substantially:  Medication prescribed, 50% to 70%; Imaging ordered or provided, 52% to 66%; Physician time, 50% to 59%."

"Among patients 65 and older, primary diagnoses of various chronic conditions increased by double and triple digits from 1998 to 2008, including:

  • Essential hypertension, 62%
  • Cardiac arrhythmias, 139%
  • Diabetes, 45%
  • Dyslipidemia, 150%
  • Urinary symptoms, 139%
  • Coronary atherosclerosis, 24%
  • Prostate cancer, 58%"

"In 1978, primary care physicians accounted for 61% of office visits by patients 45 to 64 and for 62% of visits by patients 65 and older. In 2008, the proportion had dropped to 53% and 45%, respectively. During the same time period, primary care physicians' share of office visits by younger patients increased from 71% to 76%."

"The authors noted that Medicare has sought to limit its expenditures by reducing physician fees for its beneficiaries. Despite that, 86% of physicians continued to accept new Medicare patients as of 2008. All physician specialties included in the study had Medicare acceptance rates of 80% except psychiatry (60%)."


 
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