TABLE 1.
Summary of management continuity subscale content and distribution of item responses. (Detailed distribution available at http://www.longwoods.com/content/22638).
| Subscale and Item Description | Response Scale | Range Missing Values | Overall Modal Response | Range Item Discriminability | Comments on Distribution |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
PCAS Integration (6 items) When your doctor recommends a different doctor for a specific problem, Rate: Help deciding who to see; help in getting an appointment; involvement of doctor while being treated by a specialist; communication with specialists; help understanding what other said; quality of specialist. |
Likert evaluative, 1=very poor to 6=excellent | 1%–4% | 4–5 (good to very good) | 1.85 (quality) to 4.89 (communication) | Only 5%–11% in the two most negative categories |
|
PCAT-S Coordination (4 items) Likelihood that primary care provider: Discussed alternatives for places to seek care; helped make the appointment; wrote information about the reason for the visit; talked about what happened at the visit. |
Likert evaluative, 1=definitely not to 4=definitely | 2%–3% (true missing) 3%–6% not sure | 4 (definitely) | 1.23 (alternatives) to 2.33 (information) | Over 52% of responses in the most positive category. Few missing values (True or Not sure) |
|
CPCI Coordination of Care (8 items) Agreement with statements about regular doctor: Positive statements – This doctor: knows when I'm due for a check-up; coordinates all care; keeps track; follows up on a problem; follows up on visits to other providers; helps interpret tests or visits Negative statement – This doctor: does not always know about care received at other places |
Semantic differential opinion, 1=strongly disagree, 6=strongly agree | 1%– % (true missing) 0%–4% not sure | 6 (strongly agree) | 0.32 (negative statement) to 4.14 (keeping track) | Most responses (22%–62% in the most positive category; “help interpret tests” seems to have U distribution |
|
VANOCSS Overall Coordination of Care (6 items) Frequency of different providers: Being familiar with recent medical history; not knowing about tests or their results; not knowing about changes in your treatment Frequency of patient: Being confused because of different information; knowing next steps; knowing who to ask for questions about care |
3–4 point frequency categories scored as problem/no problem | 0%–3% | n/a | 1.44 (next steps) to 2.81 (tests) | Two items with 59% presence of a problem (being familiar with recent medical history and next steps). Others had 26%–40% presence of a problem |
| VANOCSS Access to Specialists (4 items) Frequency of issues getting care from specialists: Access when needed; difficulty with getting an appointment; given information about who to see and why; specialists had information needed from medical record | 3–4 point frequency categories scored as problem/no problem | 1%–2% | 0.42 (appointment) to 2.68 (information needed) | 11%–20% reporting presence of a problem |