Continuity of diabetes care is associated with avoidable hospitalizations: evidence from Taiwan's National Health Insurance scheme

Objective Taiwan's health-care system allows patients to utilize specialty services without referrals by primary care providers. This discontinuity of care may lead to increases in future hospitalizations. This study aims to determine whether the discontinuity of care is associated with the risk of hospitalization. Design A secondary data analysis based on a claim data of a nationally representative random sample of diabetic patients in Taiwan. A usual provider continuity (UPC) index was developed—a ratio of the visits to the physician that subjects most usually see relevant to diabetes care to the total physician visits relevant to diabetes care—to investigate its association with the risk of hospitalization. Setting Taiwan's National Health Insurance scheme from 1997 through 2002. Participants Totally 6476 diabetic patients. Intervention(s) None. Main Outcome Measure(s) Diabetes-related short-term and long-term ambulatory care sensitive condition (ACSC) admissions. Results Patients with ACSC admissions had significantly lower UPC scores compared with those without ACSC admissions. Using a Cox regression model that controlling for age, sex, severity of diabetes and the number of total visits, patients with low to medium continuity of care (UPC