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Access to Multiple Sclerosis Specialty Care
Author(s) -
Turner Aaron P.,
Chapko Michael K.,
Yanez David,
Leipertz Steve L.,
Sloan Alicia P.,
Whitham Ruth H.,
Haselkorn Jodie K.
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
pmandr
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.617
H-Index - 66
eISSN - 1934-1563
pISSN - 1934-1482
DOI - 10.1016/j.pmrj.2013.07.009
Subject(s) - specialty , veterans affairs , medicine , family medicine , health care , comorbidity , observational study , receipt , medline , ambulatory care , psychiatry , pathology , world wide web , law , economics , economic growth , computer science , political science
Background Health care providers recommend an annual visit to a multiple sclerosis specialty care provider. Objective To examine potential barriers to the implementation of this recommendation in the Veterans Health Administration. Design Observational cohort study. Setting Veterans Health Administration. Participants Participants were drawn from the Veterans Affairs Multiple Sclerosis National Data Repository and were included if they had an outpatient visit in 2007 and were alive in 2008 (N = 14,723). Main Outcome Measurements Specialty care visit, receipt of medical services. Results A total of 9643 (65.5%) participants had a specialty care visit in 2007. Veterans who were service connected, had greater medical comorbidity, and who lived in urban settings were more likely to have received a specialty care visit. Veterans who were older and had to travel greater distances to a center were less likely to have a specialty care visit. Conclusions Access to care in rural areas and areas at a greater distance from a major medical center represent notable barriers to rehabilitation and other multiple sclerosis–related care.