Sunday 3 February 2013

Skin, Joint, and Back Problems Prompt Most Physician Visits

FYI

Most patients without acute conditions see their physicians not because of diabetes, heart disease, or cancer but because of skin problems, joint disorders, and back pain, according to an article published in the January 2013 issue of Mayo Clinic Proceedings.

Jennifer L. St. Sauver, PhD, MPH, from the Division of Epidemiology, Mayo Clinic Center for the Science of Health Care Delivery, Rochester, Minnesota, and colleagues analyzed the medical records of residents of Olmstead County, Minnesota, as of April 1, 2009

They say, "Finding that skin and back problems are major drivers of health care utilization affirms the importance of moving beyond the commonly recognized health care priorities such as diabetes, heart disease, or cancer," the researchers conclude. "Our findings highlight opportunities to improve health care and decrease costs related to common non-acute conditions as we move forward through the changing health care landscape."

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