Hospitalization outcome of heart diseases between patients who received medical care by cardiologists and non-cardiologist physicians: A propensity-score matched study

Abstract

Background and aims The effects of physician specialty on the outcome of heart disease remains incompletely understood because of inconsistent findings from some previous studies. Our purpose is to compare the admission outcomes of heart disease in patients receiving care by cardiologists and noncardiologist (NC) physicians. Methods Using reimbursement claims data of Taiwan's National Health Insurance from 2008-2013, we conducted a matched study of 6264 patients aged �20 years who received a cardiologist's care during admission for heart disease. Using a propensity score matching procedure adjusted for sociodemographic characteristics, medical condition, and type of heart disease, 6264 controls who received an NC physician's care were selected. Logistic regressions were used to calculate odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for complications and mortality during admission for heart disease associated with a cardiologist's care.

Association of medical staffing and outcomes in cardiovascular diseases

“…Примечательно, что более грамотное ведение в стационаре пациентов с ССЗ кардиологами, по сравнению с врачами некардиологического профиля, помимо улучшения выживаемости может быть также ассоциировано со снижением риска пневмонии, септицемии, инфекции мочевыводящей системы, как продемонстрировано в исследовании с использованием метода псевдорандомизации (propensity score matching) с учетом возраста, пола, уровня дохода, диагноза, наличия АГ, сахарного диабета 2 типа (СД 2), терминальной стадии хронической болезни почек, цирроза печени, гиперлипидемии, болезни Паркинсона, количества госпитализаций и частоты визитов в отделение неотложной помощи [13]. Этот факт особенно важен с учетом увеличения количества пациентов с ССЗ, одновременно страдающих внесердечной патологией.…”

Exploring the availability of specialist health workforce education in East and Southern Africa: a document analysis

“…Specialist health professionals are largely associated with improved health outcomes for patients or populations requiring sophisticated healthcare 10 11. For instance, mortality rates among cancer patients10 and cardiac outcomes in cardiology patients12 have been shown to be sensitive to access to specialist health professionals. Thus, while increasing the capacity for generalist health workforce education and training remain important for PHC, it is also necessary for specialist health workers’ training capacity to be assessed and improved to produce the needed specialists for the health systems, especially identifying opportunities for countries without local training capacity 13.…”