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Are Physicians Sensitive to the Special Problems of Older Patients?
Author(s) -
Radecki Stephen E.,
Kane Robert L.,
Solomon David H.,
Mendenhall Robert C.,
Beck John C.
Publication year - 1988
Publication title -
journal of the american geriatrics society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.992
H-Index - 232
eISSN - 1532-5415
pISSN - 0002-8614
DOI - 10.1111/j.1532-5415.1988.tb07174.x
Subject(s) - medicine , ambulatory , gerontology , ambulatory care , family medicine , primary care , diagnostic test , disease , health care , test (biology) , pediatrics , pathology , paleontology , economics , biology , economic growth
The sensitivity of primary care physicians to the health care needs of older patients was explored by means of an analysis of the use of diagnostic tests and therapeutic procedures during ambulatory visits. Survey data on a total of 28,265 visits to internists, family and general practitioners were examined to determine possible age‐related differences in care. The study found that diagnostic testing falls off significantly for patients 75 years of age or older and that internists use substantially more tests for each age group than do family and general practitioners. The pattern of use of diagnostic tests in this secondary analysis does not address the issue of “appropriateness” but does suggest a pattern that makes little sense based on the known distribution of disease and functional disability in aging populations.