Relationship between Use of Increased Primary Health Care and other Out-patient Care in a Swedish Urban Area IV. Use of private and other non public out-patient care

Abstract

In 1979 Stockholm County Council began a study of increased primary health care (PHC) at Matteus Primary Health Care Centre (MPHCC) in Stockolm city. The aims were to analyse changes in utilization of out-patient care (OPC). This article analyses the changes in the population's visits to non-public employed physicians.

The study has a longitudinal design and covers a study and two control districts. The method is an enquiry before and after establishment of the MPHCC in the northern part of Stockholm city.

In this study it was shown that increased PHC in the study district resulted in a significant decrease (27%) of the population's visits to private-, occupational- and school health physicians. Furthermore, the study shows a signficant decrease of the number of individuals in the study district who visit these non-public employed physicians during a 12-month-period.

Key Words:

• Primary Health Care
• Utilization
• Private physicians