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    GP utilisation

    This is a basic indicator for the use of medical services. Apart from the averages, the differences in sex, age and socio-economic circumstances provide relevant information pertaining to cost and health care access issues. Comparisons among countries may be problematic because of different organisations of primary care.

      Status

        It has been internally edited.

          Data presentation
          7 April 2008
          GP utilisation
          Figures, underlying data and maps
          Figures and Underlying Data

          TableConsultations of general practitioners over the past 12 months in a number of countries, male, female and total, 2001

          TableConsultations of general practitioners over the past 12 months in a number of countries, by educational status, 2001

          TableConsultations of general practitioners over the past 12 months in a number of countries, by age, 2001

          ChartConsultations of general practitioners over the past 12 months in selected countries, male and female, 2001 (interactive)

          ChartConsultations of general practitioners over the past 12 months in selected countries, by age, 2001 (interactive)

          ChartConsultations of general practitioners over the past 12 months in selected countries, by educational status, 2001 (interactive)

          ChartTrend in consultations of general practitioners over the past 12 months in selected countries, 1996-2001 (interactive)

          Maps
          11 February 2008
          GP utilisation
          Remarks

          Consultations of general practitioners over the past 12 months in a number of countries, male, female and total, 2001 (source: Eurostat, 2007)

          Male

          Female

          Total

          Austria

          4.0

          5.4

          4.7

          Belgium

          4.1

          5.6

          4.9

          Denmark

          2.2

          3.5

          2.9

          Finland

          1.9

          2.2

          2.1

          Greece

          1.6

          2.1

          1.9

          Ireland

          2.8

          4.3

          3.6

          Italy

          4.0

          5.6

          4.8

          Netherlands

          2.1

          3.4

          2.8

          Portugal

          2.4

          3.6

          3.1

          Spain

          3.0

          4.6

          3.9

          United Kingdom

          2.6

          3.8

          3.2

          Remarks

          The data was collected for the Eurostat European Community Household Panel (ECHP) carried out during the period 1996-2001. The data refer to the average number of patient contacts to General Practitioners (GP) within a calendar year.

          Comparison of GP utilisation between countries has some limitations since in some countries the GP has much more of a gatekeeping function than in others. In nine of 18 European countries described in Kroneman et al., the GP has an explicit gatekeeping role: Spain, Portugal, Italy, Finland, Denmark, Norway, United Kingdom, Ireland and the Netherlands. In nine other countries (Luxemburg, Belgium, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, France, Sweden, Iceland and Greece) direct access to most other services is possible (Kroneman et al., 2006).

          11 February 2008
          GP utilisation
          Remarks

          Consultations of general practitioners over the past 12 months in a number of countries, by educational status, 2001 (source: Eurostat,2007)

          Male

          Female

          pre-primary, primary and lower secondary education

          upper secondary education

          tertiary education

          pre-primary, primary and lower secondary education

          upper secondary education

          tertiary education

          Austria

          5.5

          3.7

          2.5

          7.1

          4.4

          4.0

          Belgium

          5.5

          4.0

          2.7

          8.1

          4.6

          3.7

          Denmark

          3.1

          2.1

          1.7

          4.4

          3.2

          2.7

          Finland

          2.2

          1.9

          1.7

          2.5

          2.3

          1.9

          Greece

          2.1

          0.9

          1.0

          2.9

          1.1

          1.1

          Ireland

          3.5

          2.4

          1.6

          4.9

          3.5

          4.5

          Italy

          5.0

          2.8

          2.2

          7.0

          3.6

          3.1

          Netherlands

          2.2

          -

          1.0

          3.4

          -

          3.4

          Portugal

          2.6

          1.8

          1.6

          4.1

          2.2

          2.1

          Spain

          3.8

          2.1

          1.7

          5.9

          2.7

          2.4

          UK

          3.2

          2.4

          2.2

          4.0

          3.8

          3.4

          UK: United Kingdom, "-" : no data available

          Remarks

          The data was collected for the Eurostat European Community Household Panel (ECHP) carried out during the period 1996-2001. The data refer to the average number of patient contacts to General Practitioners (GP) within a calendar year.

          Comparison of GP utilisation between countries has some limitations since in some countries the GP has much more of a gatekeeping function than in others. In nine of 18 European countries described in Kroneman et al., the GP has an explicit gatekeeping role: Spain, Portugal, Italy, Finland, Denmark, Norway, United Kingdom, Ireland and the Netherlands. In nine other countries (Luxemburg, Belgium, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, France, Sweden, Iceland and Greece) direct access to most other services is possible (Kroneman et al., 2006).

          Educational status is based on the International Standard Classification of Education 1997 (ISCED)

          • Pre-primary, primary and lower secondary education - ISCED levels 0-2
          • Upper secondary education - ISCED level 3
          • Tertiary education - ISCED levels 5-6

          For more information see: ISCED 1997

          11 February 2008
          GP utilisation
          Remarks

          Consultations of general practitioners over the past 12 months in a number of countries, by age, 2001 (source: Eurostat, 2007)

          Male

          15-24

          25-34

          35-44

          45-54

          55-64

          65+

          Austria

          2.2

          2.8

          2.4

          3.5

          5.3

          8.6

          Belgium

          2.6

          2.2

          2.8

          3.6

          4.6

          8.5

          Denmark

          1.5

          1.6

          1.6

          1.8

          2.5

          4.4

          Finland

          1.7

          2.0

          1.5

          1.9

          2.3

          2.3

          Greece

          0.3

          0.5

          0.6

          1.0

          2.0

          3.6

          Ireland

          1.4

          1.8

          3.2

          2.3

          2.9

          6.1

          Italy

          1.7

          2.2

          2.3

          3.2

          5.1

          9.1

          Netherlands

          1.4

          1.6

          1.9

          2.1

          2.6

          3.7

          Portugal

          1.1

          1.5

          1.5

          2.3

          3.9

          5.1

          Spain

          1.6

          1.5

          2.3

          2.6

          4.4

          6.4

          UK

          2.0

          2.0

          2.1

          2.3

          3.0

          3.8

          Female

          15-24

          25-34

          35-44

          45-54

          55-64

          65+

          Austria

          2.5

          3.6

          3.6

          4.3

          6.4

          10.0

          Belgium

          3.7

          3.3

          4.4

          4.7

          6.3

          9.6

          Denmark

          3.6

          2.9

          3.2

          3.0

          3.6

          4.4

          Finland

          2.0

          2.5

          2.2

          2.2

          2.3

          2.2

          Greece

          0.5

          0.7

          1.0

          1.8

          2.7

          4.4

          Ireland

          4.3

          3.6

          3.7

          3.8

          3.5

          6.9

          Italy

          2.6

          3.3

          3.7

          4.7

          7.5

          9.8

          Netherlands

          2.6

          3.0

          3.1

          3.0

          3.5

          4.9

          Portugal

          1.9

          2.4

          3.0

          3.7

          5.1

          5.5

          Spain

          2.0

          2.9

          3.1

          4.3

          6.4

          8.4

          UK

          3.6

          3.8

          3.3

          3.5

          3.9

          4.3

          UK: United Kingdom

          Remarks

          The data was collected for the Eurostat European Community Household Panel (ECHP) carried out during the period 1996-2001. The data refer to the average number of patient contacts to General Practitioners (GP) within a calendar year.

          Comparison of GP utilisation between countries has some limitations since in some countries the GP has much more of a gatekeeping function than in others. In nine of 18 European countries described in Kroneman et al., the GP has an explicit gatekeeping role: Spain, Portugal, Italy, Finland, Denmark, Norway, United Kingdom, Ireland and the Netherlands. In nine other countries (Luxemburg, Belgium, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, France, Sweden, Iceland and Greece) direct access to most other services is possible (Kroneman et al., 2006).

          12 February 2008
          GP utilisation

          Remarks

          The data was collected for the Eurostat European Community Household Panel (ECHP) carried out during the period 1996-2001. The data refer to the average number of patient contacts to General Practitioners (GP) within a calendar year.

          Comparison of GP utilisation between countries has some limitations since in some countries the GP has much more of a gatekeeping function than in others. In nine of 18 European countries described in Kroneman et al., the GP has an explicit gatekeeping role: Spain, Portugal, Italy, Finland, Denmark, Norway, United Kingdom, Ireland and the Netherlands. In nine other countries (Luxemburg, Belgium, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, France, Sweden, Iceland and Greece) direct access to most other services is possible (Kroneman et al., 2006).

          12 February 2008
          GP utilisation

          Remarks

          The data was collected for the Eurostat European Community Household Panel (ECHP) carried out during the period 1996-2001. The data refer to the average number of patient contacts to General Practitioners (GP) within a calendar year.

          Comparison of GP utilisation between countries has some limitations since in some countries the GP has much more of a gatekeeping function than in others. In nine of 18 European countries described in Kroneman et al., the GP has an explicit gatekeeping role: Spain, Portugal, Italy, Finland, Denmark, Norway, United Kingdom, Ireland and the Netherlands. In nine other countries (Luxemburg, Belgium, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, France, Sweden, Iceland and Greece) direct access to most other services is possible (Kroneman et al., 2006).

          12 February 2008
          GP utilisation

          Remarks

          The data was collected for the Eurostat European Community Household Panel (ECHP) carried out during the period 1996-2001. The data refer to the average number of patient contacts to General Practitioners (GP) within a calendar year.

          Comparison of GP utilisation between countries has some limitations since in some countries the GP has much more of a gatekeeping function than in others. In nine of 18 European countries described in Kroneman et al., the GP has an explicit gatekeeping role: Spain, Portugal, Italy, Finland, Denmark, Norway, United Kingdom, Ireland and the Netherlands. In nine other countries (Luxemburg, Belgium, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, France, Sweden, Iceland and Greece) direct access to most other services is possible (Kroneman et al., 2006).

          Educational status is based on the International Standard Classification of Education 1997 (ISCED)

          • Pre-primary, primary and lower secondary education - ISCED levels 0-2
          • Upper secondary education - ISCED level 3
          • Tertiary education - ISCED levels 5-6

          For more information see: ISCED 1997

          12 February 2008
          GP utilisation

          Remarks

          The data was collected for the Eurostat European Community Household Panel (ECHP) carried out during the period 1996-2001. The data refer to the average number of patient contacts to General Practitioners (GP) within a calendar year.

          Comparison of GP utilisation between countries has some limitations since in some countries the GP has much more of a gatekeeping function than in others. In nine of 18 European countries described in Kroneman et al., the GP has an explicit gatekeeping role: Spain, Portugal, Italy, Finland, Denmark, Norway, United Kingdom, Ireland and the Netherlands. In nine other countries (Luxemburg, Belgium, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, France, Sweden, Iceland and Greece) direct access to most other services is possible (Kroneman et al., 2006).

          Literature and data sources

          Literature and data sources

          Kroneman MW, Maarse M, Van der Zee J. Direct access in primary care and patient satisfaction: A European study.  Health Policy, 2006; (76): 72-79.

          Data sources

          Eurostat. Statistical Database of the European Union
          EUPHIX, EUphact. Bilthoven: RIVM, <http://www.euphix.org> version 1.8, 5 June 2008