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Table 4 Monthly consultation and service utilization rates by primary care doctor choice groups

From: Having a family doctor was associated with lower utilization of hospital-based health services

 

Total

RFD

ORD

NRD

(n = 3148)

(n = 1150)

(n = 746)

(n = 1157)

mean ± s.d, (% of subjects)

Monthly consultation rate*†

0.71 ± 1.53

0.85 ± 1.73

0.85 ± 1.60

0.49 ± 1.26

 

(33.6%)

(39.1%)

(38.3%)

(25.2%)

  - Western medicine doctors*†‡

0.43 ± 1.00

0.61 ± 1.22

0.50 ± 1.06

0.20 ± 0.62

 

(24.7%)

(33.6%)

(28.5%)

(13.5%)

 - Western medicine family doctors*†‡

0.21 ± 0.75

0.50 ± 1.10

0.06 ± 0.41

0.03 ± 0.26

 

(12.8%)

(30.1%)

(3.5%)

(2.0%)

 - Western medicine regular but not family doctors*†‡

0.22 ± 0.65

0.11 ± 0.40

0.44 ± 0.98

0.17 ± 0.56

 

(14.4%)

(8.9%)

(26.1%)

(11.9%)

 - Chinese medicine practitioner*†‡

0.24 ± 1.03

0.24 ± 1.04

0.32 ± 1.12

0.19 ± 0.97

 

(9.6%)

(10.0%)

(12.5%)

(7.5%)

 - Hospital emergency service†‡

0.06 ± 0.45

0.05 ± 0.56

0.08 ± 0.47

0.05 ± 0.29

 

(3.7%)

(2.3%)

(5.2%)

(3.8%)

Monthly Hospital admission rate

0.01 ± 0.14

0.01 ± 0.14

0.02 ± 0.15

0.01 ± 0.13

 

(1.2%)

(1.0%)

(1.3%)

(1.1%)

  1. Notes: RFD = Regular family doctor group; ORD = Other regular doctor group; NRD = No regular doctor group.
  2. *Significant difference between RFD and NRD by univariable Poisson regression.
  3. †Significant difference between ORD and NRD by univariable Poisson regression.
  4. ‡Significant difference between RFD and ORD by univariable Poisson regression.