Adults who regularly visit the same doctor are most likely to receive better preventive treatment, according to a new study published in the Journal of General Internal Medicine.

Mammograms are one type of care which was offered significantly more to adults who had a regular doctor and visited the same health-care site, said Dr. Mark P. Doescher of Harborview Medical Center in Seattle. He also found an increase in the amount of advice given on smoking cessation.

The study traced data from households in more than 60 communities across the United States.

The findings go hand-in-hand with a second study published in the journal that found hospital readmission or relative risk of death decreases for patients who return to the doctor who actually treated them during hospitalization.

The study concluded that continuity of care can greatly affect the quality of patient recovery.

More information

The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality has more about medical check-ups.

Reference Source 101
July 27, 2004

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