Diagnostic costs: a research in a family medicine outpatient clinic

The aim of this study is to evaluate the direct diagnostic costs for disease groups and other variables (such as gender, age, seasons) that are related to the direct diagnostic costs based on a 3-year data. The population of the study consisted of 31,401 patients who applied to family medicine outpatient clinic in Turkey between January 1st, 2016 and December 31st, 2018. With this study, we determined in which disease groups of the family medicine outpatient clinic weremost frequently admitted. Then, total and average diagnostic costs for these disease groups were calculated. Three-year data gave us the opportunity to examine the trend in diagnostic costs. Based on this, we demonstratedwhich diseases' total and average diagnostic costs increased or decreased during 3 years. Moreover, we examined how diagnostic costs showed a trend in both Turkish liras and USA dollars' rate for 3 years. Finally, we analysedwhether the diagnostic costs differed according to variables such as age, gender and season. There has been relatively little analysis on the diagnostic costs in the previous literature. Therefore, we expect to contribute to both theoristsand healthcare managers for diagnostic costs with this study.

Ocorrências em pronto-socorro: eventos sentinela para o monitoramento da atenção básica de saúde / Caseload profile in emergency services: sentinel events for monitoring primary health care

O estudo tem como ponto de partida a hipótese de que determinadas ocorrências nosológicas atendidas em pronto-socorro, escolhidas com base no conceito de evento sentinela, podem estar relacionadas a falhas da atenção básica e ser utilizadas na formulação de um indicador para o monitoramento desta atenção. Foram utilizados dados quantitativos e qualitativos sobre ocorrências previamente escolhidas e atendidas em pronto-socorro. Usando-se a triangulação de métodos, verificaram-se as diferenças das freqüências dessas ocorrências entre as áreas/unidades básicas de saúde (UBS) de procedência dos pacientes e as motivações determinantes da procura pelo pronto-socorro. As freqüências das ocorrências apresentaram valores de 30 por cento a 42,8 por cento conforme a área/UBS de procedência (Ç2 = 9,19 e p = 0,027). As entrevistas sugeriram a existência de causalidade entre o motivo declarado da procura do pronto-socorro e a atuação das unidades básicas. Conclui-se que: (1) a freqüência das ocorrências escolhidas foi influenciada pelas áreas/UBS de procedência das pessoas; (2) essa influência decorre, em parte, da situação da atenção básica; (3) o instrumental estudado é simples e pode contribuir para o gestor local no acompanhamento cotidiano da situação dos serviços básicos.

The study's hypothesis was that certain disease entities treated in emergency services, based on the sentinel event concept, are related to flaws in primary care and can be used to develop an indicator for monitoring such care. Quantitative and qualitative data were used on previously selected occurrences treated in the emergency department. Using triangulation of methods, the differences were verified in the frequencies of these occurrences between the areas of patients' residence/ primary care units and the motivations leading them to seek the emergency department. Distribution of the frequency of these events varied from 30 percent to 42.8 percent, according to the area of residence/ primary care unit (Ç2 = 9.19 and p = 0.027). The interviews suggested the existence of causality between the reason stated for seeking the emergency service and the performance of the primary care units. In conclusion: (1) the frequency of the selected occurrences was influenced by the area of residence/ location of the primary care unit; (2) this influence results partially from the primary care performance; and (3) the study instrument is simple and can help local administrators monitor the daily performance of primary care services.

Estudio de demanda de servicios de salud-Nicaragua / Study of demand on health services

Inveatigación que pone a disponibilidad una serie de datos suministrados por las instituciones y el inventario de la oferta institucional y comunitaria de los servicios de salud. Esta información permitió el análisis integral de la demanda de servicios de salud por parte de la población. Este estudio contribuirá a una mejor distribución de los recursos humanos en salud y a una mayor aproximación de las posibles alternativas de financiamiento de los servicios de salud, aportando a la evolución de las políticas de salud