Term: Physician Use

Glossary Definition

Last Updated: 2013-10-30

Definition:

In this study three variables were used to measure the use of physician services: psychiatrist visit rate, psychiatric diagnosis rate, and overall physician visit rate. Psychiatric diagnoses were defined as the presence of any of ICD-9-CM codes 290-319 (mental disorders) in physician claims. Psychiatrist visit rates are defined as any visit to a physician with a specialty code of 03. (Finlayson et al., 2005; Martens et al., 2004).

In Fransoo et al. (2013), this was defioned as the percent of residents who see a physician at least once over the course of a year gives an indication of the accessibility of ambulatory care for local residents. See the glossary terms Use of Physicians (aka Access to Physicians) and Access to Physician Services for more information.

Related terms 

• Resource Use

References 

• Finlayson M, Lix L, Finlayson G, Fong T. Trends in the utilization of specific health care services among older Manitobans: 1985 to 2000. Can J Aging 2005;24 Suppl 1(1 Suppl):15-27. [Abstract] (View)
• Martens PJ, Fransoo R, McKeen N, The Need to Know Team, Burland E, Jebamani L, Burchill C, De Coster C, Ekuma O, Prior H, Chateau D, Robinson R, Metge C. Patterns of Regional Mental Illness Disorder Diagnoses and Service Use in Manitoba: A Population-Based Study. Winnipeg, MB: Manitoba Centre for Health Policy, 2004. [Report] [Summary] [Additional Materials] (View)

Term used in 

• Fransoo R, Martens P, The Need to Know Team, Prior H, Burchill C, Koseva I, Bailly A, Allegro E. The 2013 RHA Indicators Atlas. Winnipeg, MB: Manitoba Centre for Health Policy, 2013. [Report] [Summary] [Additional Materials] (View)