Poor experience with PCP linked to hospitalization in CKD

(HealthDay)—For Hispanic patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), lower perceived quality of the patient experience with their primary care physician is associated with increased risk of hospitalization, according to a study published online Oct. 18 in the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology.

Esteban A. Cedillo-Couvert, M.D., from the University of Illinois at Chicago, and colleagues examined the correlation between the patient experience with their primary care physician and outcomes among 252 Hispanic patients with CKD. The Ambulatory Care Experiences Survey subscales were used to assess patient experience with their primary care physician.

The researchers identified 619 hospitalizations, 103 end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) events, and 56 deaths over a median of 4.8 years of follow-up. The adjusted rate ratio for all-cause hospitalization was higher with lower scores on four of the five subscales compared with higher scores (communication quality, 1.54; health promotion, 1.31; interpersonal treatment, 1.5; and trust, 1.57). No significant correlation was seen for subscales with incident ESKD or all-cause death.

"Further studies are required to confirm this association and implement strategies designed to improve the quality of the patient experience with their primary care physician with the long-term objective of providing patient-centered care for Hispanics with CKD," the authors write.

Copyright © 2018 HealthDay. All rights reserved.