Lower death rates by seeing the same doctor

A new study by the University of Exeter has concluded that patients who see the same doctor over time have lower death rates.

Published in BMJ Open, the study represents the first ever systematic review of the relationship between death rates and continuity of care and finds that repeated patient-doctor contact is linked to fewer deaths.

Analysing the results of 22 eligible high-quality studies with varying time frames from across nine countries, the research revealed that 82 per cent found that repeated contact with the same doctor over time meant significantly fewer deaths compared with those without continuity, with the term doctor also covering  specialists including psychiatrists and surgeons.

Denis Pereira Gray, of St Leonard’s Practice, said: “Patients have long known that it matters which doctor they see and how well they can communicate with them. Until now arranging for patients to see the doctor of their choice has been considered a matter of convenience or courtesy: now it is clear it is about the quality of medical practice and is literally ‘a matter of life and death’.”

Philip Evans, of the University of Exeter Medical School, said: “Continuity of care happens when a patient and a doctor see each other repeatedly and get to know each other. This leads to better communication, patient satisfaction, adherence to medical advice and much lower use of hospital services. As medical technology and new treatments dominate the medical news, the human aspect of medical practice has been neglected. Our study shows it is potentially life-saving and should be prioritised.”

Kamila Hawthorne, vice chair of the Royal College of GPs, said: "Delivering continuity of care for patients is something GPs strive to do - we know our patients want and value it, as GPs do, and we know that it is particularly beneficial for patients with chronic conditions, long-term mental health issues, and complex needs. But general practice is currently facing intense resource and workforce pressures, which is making it increasingly difficult for patients to access our services and unfortunately, waiting to see 'their' GP means patients may have to wait even longer for an appointment.

"Many GP practices across the country are using innovative approaches to retaining continuity of care, for example, a patient might be assigned to a team consisting of several GPs and other healthcare professionals in the practice, all of whom will have full access to their records, allowing them to see and build trusting relationships with the whole team, not just 'their' doctor. Balancing continuity of care with timely access to GP services is a huge challenge for general practice, and ultimately the answer is more GPs and more resources for the profession.”