Home Visits in Croatian Family Practice: A Longitudinal Study: 1995–2012

Similar to other countries, home visits in Croatia are within the scope of family medicine (FM). The significant changes have been implemented within the FM with almost no scientific evaluation. The study was undertaken with the main aim to determine the overall trends in home visiting in Croatian FM between 1995 and 2012. A data sources were Croatian Health Service Yearbooks, 1995–2012. The numbers of family doctors, practice visits and home visits were collected. Results indicate that the annual number of home visits is relatively small, whether it is viewed per patient (0.1) or per doctor (160) with a decreased trend. The geographical variations are observed too. It seems that HC reforms did not have any influence on the observed trends. This should seriously be taken into the consideration in the future planning on the ways to keep growing hospital expenses under control

Are there differences in the trends of home visits between rural and urban regions in Croatia?1995-2014

Uvod. U europskim zemljama kao i u Hrvatskoj kućne posjete (KP) i liječenje su u djelokrugu obiteljske medicine (OM). Istraživanja pokazuju da je broj KP relativno nizak, sustavno opada od 2004. i različit je između županija. Cilj je bio istražiti postoje li razlike u trendovima broja KP između ruralnih i urbanih sredina RH u razdoblju od 1995. do 2014. godine. Metode. Istraživanje je opservacijsko (povijesno – prospektivno), temeljeno na rutinski prikupljenim podatcima Hrvatskih zdravstveno-statističkih ljetopisa od 1995. do 2014.: o broju liječnika OM (LOM), pacijenata koji su dolazili/koristili OM i KP u RH i po županijama. Grupirani su u 3 regije: pretežito ruralne, značajno ruralne i urbane. Izračunat je prosječan broj KP, broj posjeta po pacijentu i po LOM -u. Rezultati. Prosječan broj KP/pacijent bio je veći (0,16-0,12) u pretežito i značajno ruralnoj, nego u urbanoj regiji (0,11-0,06). U ruralnim regijama broj KP/LOM kretao se od 136,6 do 181,6, znatno više nego u pretežno ruralnim (129,2-189,2) ili urbanim (88,0-144,5). Zaključak. LOM-i u ruralnim regijama obavljaju više KP od kolega u urbanim. Da bi se zadovoljile potrebe populacije i zadržalo liječnike, ovo treba imati na umu pri planiranju i financiranju tih područja.Introduction and aims: Home visits are within the scope of family practice (FP) in Croatia as well as it is in other countries. The aim of the study was to determine the overall trends in home visits (HV) in Croatian FM. We investigated whether there were any differences in the trends of HV between Croatian rural and urban regions. Methods: This was perspective study, from 1995 to 2014. Data were collected from the Croatian Health Service Yearbooks. The number of family doctors and the number of home visits were collected for each study year in relation to regions; Croatia was divided in three regions: rural, semi-rural and urban. Results. Significantly higher number of home visits was found in rural regions than in semi-rural and urban ones. In 2000 the average number of home visits was higher in rural - 0.16 per patient - than in semi-rural (0.14) and urban (0.10) regions. In the same year, each family doctor in rural areas performed 189 home visits, in comparison to 178 in semi-rural and 120 in urban regions. The differences in trends were not found, the number of home visits increased until the year 2000 and then decreased in all regions. Conclusion. A higher number of home visits was found in Croatian rural regions than in semi-rural and urban ones. These results should be taken in consideration in FP delivery planning

Home visits in Croatian family practice: a longitudinal study: 1995-2012 [Jesu li kućne posjete i kućno liječenje zanemareni sadržaji rada u djelatnostima OM?]

Similar to other countries, home visits in Croatia are within the scope of family medicine (FM). The significant changes have been implemented within the FM with almost no scientific evaluation. The study was undertaken with the main aim to determine the overall trends in home visiting in Croatian FM between 1995 and 2012. A data sources were Croatian Health Service Yearbooks, 1995-2012. The numbers of family doctors, practice visits and home visits were collected. Results indicate that the annual number of home visits is relatively small, whether it is viewed per patient (0.1) or per doctor (160) with a decreased trend. The geographical variations are observed too. It seems that HC reforms did not have any influence on the observed trends. This should seriously be taken into the consideration in the future planning on the ways to keep growing hospital expenses under control

Jesu li kućne posjete i kućno liječenje zanemareni sadržaji rada u djelatnostima OM?

Similar to other countries, home visits in Croatia are within the scope of family medicine (FM). The significant changes have been implemented within the FM with almost no scientific evaluation. The study was undertaken with the main aim to determine the overall trends in home visiting in Croatian FM between 1995 and 2012. A data sources were Croatian Health Service Yearbooks, 1995-2012. The numbers of family doctors, practice visits and home visits were collected. Results indicate that the annual number of home visits is relatively small, whether it is viewed per patient (0.1) or per doctor (160) with a decreased trend. The geographical variations are observed too. It seems that HC reforms did not have any influence on the observed trends. This should seriously be taken into the consideration in the future planning on the ways to keep growing hospital expenses under control.Kao i u drugim europskim državama i u Hrvatskoj su kućne posjete (KP) u djelokrugu rada liječnika obiteljske medicine (LOM). Malobrojna istraživanja, uglavnom provedena krajem 80-tih godina, su ukazala na problem smanjenja broja KP. Budući da su uvedene mnoge promjene u sustav zdravstva, cilj istraživanja je bio ispitati trendove kretanja broja KP u periodu od 1995. do 2012. godine. Podaci su prikupljeni iz Hrvatskih zdravstveno-statističkih ljetopisa za to razdoblje. Rezultati su ukazali na činjenicu da je broj kućnih posjeta mali, prosječno 0,1 posjeta po pacijentu, ili 160 posjeta po jednom LOM godišnje, sa stalnim trendom pada nakon 2004. godine. Uočene su i razlike među županijama. Izgleda da promjene unutar zdravstvenog sustava nisu imale utjecaja na trendove. Rezultati istraživanja bi se morali ozbiljno razmotriti u planiranju učinkovitog zdravstvenog sustava u doba rastućih troškova, osobito na hospitalnu zaštitu

Jesu li kućne posjete i kućno liječenje zanemareni sadržaji rada u djelatnostima OM?

Similar to other countries, home visits in Croatia are within the scope of family medicine (FM). The significant changes have been implemented within the FM with almost no scientific evaluation. The study was undertaken with the main aim to determine the overall trends in home visiting in Croatian FM between 1995 and 2012. A data sources were Croatian Health Service Yearbooks, 1995-2012. The numbers of family doctors, practice visits and home visits were collected. Results indicate that the annual number of home visits is relatively small, whether it is viewed per patient (0.1) or per doctor (160) with a decreased trend. The geographical variations are observed too. It seems that HC reforms did not have any influence on the observed trends. This should seriously be taken into the consideration in the future planning on the ways to keep growing hospital expenses under control.Kao i u drugim europskim državama i u Hrvatskoj su kućne posjete (KP) u djelokrugu rada liječnika obiteljske medicine (LOM). Malobrojna istraživanja, uglavnom provedena krajem 80-tih godina, su ukazala na problem smanjenja broja KP. Budući da su uvedene mnoge promjene u sustav zdravstva, cilj istraživanja je bio ispitati trendove kretanja broja KP u periodu od 1995. do 2012. godine. Podaci su prikupljeni iz Hrvatskih zdravstveno-statističkih ljetopisa za to razdoblje. Rezultati su ukazali na činjenicu da je broj kućnih posjeta mali, prosječno 0,1 posjeta po pacijentu, ili 160 posjeta po jednom LOM godišnje, sa stalnim trendom pada nakon 2004. godine. Uočene su i razlike među županijama. Izgleda da promjene unutar zdravstvenog sustava nisu imale utjecaja na trendove. Rezultati istraživanja bi se morali ozbiljno razmotriti u planiranju učinkovitog zdravstvenog sustava u doba rastućih troškova, osobito na hospitalnu zaštitu