An analysis interestingly found that such people were in better physical health – perhaps why they did not have a regular doctor
Older adults who do not have a personal physician fare poorly on measures of healthcare quality, according to a study in the latest issue of Medical Care.
“Beneficiaries without personal physician report worse care experiences, rating their overall quality of care substantially lower than those with a personal physician,” according to the new research by Marc N. Elliott of The RAND Corporation, Santa Monica, and colleagues. They believe that encouraging older people to have a regular doctor might help to improve continuity and quality of healthcare.
findings have special significance for India with a growing population of senior citizens who are living alone
While researchers analyzed data from more than 272,000 elderly Medicare beneficiaries in the United States, the findings have special significance for India with a growing population of senior citizens who are living alone and the dying institution of the general physician who at one time used to be the go to doctor for the entire family.
The survey included a question about whether the respondents had a personal physician: a doctor they would see for a checkup, if they wanted advice about a health problem, or if they got sick or hurt.
Overall, 4.9 percent of Medicare recipients said they did not have a personal physician. While that rate seems low, Dr. Elliott and coauthors note that five percent of the Medicare population amounts to more than two million people.
The rate was even higher for certain groups, including men, racial/ethnic minorities, and those with lower education. The percentage without a regular doctor rose to 9.3 percent for respondents with less than a high-school education, 10.5 percent for Hispanic beneficiaries, and 16.3 percent for American Indians/Alaska Natives.
Beneficiaries without a personal physician were more likely to be enrolled in fee-for-service Medicare without a prescription drug plan, and less likely to be enrolled in Medicare Advantage plans. While older adults without a regular doctor had better overall health, they had poorer mental health.
Not having a regular doctor was associated with lower scores on measures of patient care experience, including an eight-point reduction (out of 100 points) in rating of overall healthcare.