Term: Consultation Index (CI)

Glossary Definition

Last Updated: 2006-11-02

Definition:

An index developed to measure the extent to which a physician over or under-refers patients compared to the average physician after taking into account the characteristics of their practice population. It is the ratio of the actual number of referred patients to the expected number of referred patients identified using consultation tariffs. Separate indices were developed for core and occasional patients in a practice. These indices were compared to the corresponding Referral Indices.

Related concepts 

• Physician Consultation Visits

Related terms 

• Consultations (Ambulatory)
• Core Patients
• Referral Index (RI)

References 

• Frohlich N, Katz A, De Coster C, Dik N, Soodeen RA, Watson D, Bogdanovic B. Profiling Primary Care Physician Practice in Manitoba. Winnipeg, MB: Manitoba Centre for Health Policy, 2006. [Report] [Summary] (View)