• Journal of Digital Convergence
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• v.13 no.9
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• pp.323-332
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• 2015

This paper examines the level of the primary care continuity for patients with high blood pressure and the effects of the primary care continuity on their convergence health outcomes. We conducted a retrospective cohort study. A total of 315,791 patients who had received new diagnoses of hypertension. We determined standard indices of continuity of care-MFPC, MMCI, and COC and evaluated their association with study outcomes over three years of follow-up. Outcome measures included hospitalization and emergency room visits. The result of the primary care continuity levels and hazard ratios of health outcome showed that, comparing continuity group, non-continuity group had higher rates of hospitalization by 1.655(95% CI: 1.547-1.771) and emergency room visits by 1.669(95% CI: 1.465-1.903). This paper argues that medical costs of chronic diseases will reduce if low continuity of care turns into high continuity of care.