(Rebecca Ochs/ European Scientist) — Seeing the same doctor over time has been linked to a variety of benefits for patients, including improved care, communication and trust, but new research suggests that it could also save lives.
In what is said to be the first systematic review of how continuity of care is related to risk of dying, UK-based researchers from St Leonard’s Practice in Exeter and the University of Exeter Medical School analysed all available studies on the topic.
The 22 different studies included in the analysis collected data from nine different countries with diverse healthcare systems and cultures: Canada, Croatia, France, Israel, the Netherlands, South Korea, Taiwan, the United States and the UK. Nine of the studies examined continuity with a family physician, primary care physician or general practitioner, three investigated continuity with specialists only and ten looked at continuity with doctors of any kind.
The results of the analysis, published last Thursday in the journal BMJ Open, showed that there were fewer deaths among patients who saw the same doctor over time. Eighteen of the studies, or 82%, showed that consistently seeing the same doctor is linked to significantly lower rates of mortality compared to patients without continuity of care. Of the remaining four studies, three found no association and one revealed mixed results. (…)