Continuity of care with a named GP reduces deaths

In this episode we talk to Dr Hogne Sandvik who is a senior researcher at the National Centre for Emergency Primary Health Care, NORCE Norwegian Research Centre, Bergen. Paper: Continuity in general practice as predictor of mortality, acute hospitalisation, and use of out-of-hours care: a registry-based observational study in Norway https://doi.org/10.3399/BJGP.2021.0340 (https://doi.org/10.3399/BJGP.2021.0340) Continuity of care with a GP is generally regarded as an aspect of quality. It is usually measured by visit patterns with different providers over time and is associated with lower mortality rates, fewer hospital admissions, and less use of emergency departments. This nationwide study of the Norwegian population shows that longitudinal continuity with a named regular GP is significantly associated with the need for out-of-hours services, acute hospital admissions, and mortality in a dose-dependent way. When longitudinal continuity exceeds 15 years, the probability of these occurrences is reduced by 25–30%.