The patients’ perspective : what causes hospitalizations for ambulatory care sensitive conditions?

Abstract

Introduction: In Portugal, the hospitalizations for ambulatory care sensitive conditions (ACSH) account for 12% of all hospitalizations with an estimated financial impact of up to 450 million€. Therefore, understanding the determinants of avoidable hospitalizations is important to develop policies and interventions that reduce the ACSH. Analyzing the patient’s perspective brings an angle relevant to explain the ACSH. Despite patients are the most qualified to express the social and individual context of their experience, few studies have investigated the patients’ perspective about what causes ACSH. The aim of this study is to compare the perspective of patients on the determinants of the ACSH.