Health care system resource utilisation in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis

Background: Patients with interstitial lung diseases (ILD) are a heterogeneous group of individuals with a high burden of disease. Little is known about health care service provision and utilisation for ILD patients in Germany. Aims and objectives: Assessment to what extent the German health care service is used by ILD Patients. Methods: Data were obtained in a retrospective survey in a tertiary care centre for ILDs. Questionnaires on utilization of health care services were used. Considered health care was in- and outpatient treatment by general practioners and specialists, participation in rehabilitation programmes, ambulatory lung sports groups and ILD support groups. Share of individuals using the distinct service was the primary and volume of selected service utilisation was the secondary outcome parameter. Results: 109 ILD patients were included (62.4% male, mean age 66.9 years). Most common diagnoses were IPF (51.4%) and chronic HP (12.8%). In a median follow up interval of 5.0 months 41.3% visited at least once a general practitioner (mean number of visits 0.8, sd 1.2), 37.6% a respiratory physician (0.6, sd 1.0) and 10.1% another specialist due to their lung disease. All-cause hospitalisations were reported in 19.3% cases, 7.3% participated in inpatient rehabilitation programmes, 22.9% in lung sports groups and 6.4% in support groups. Conclusion: There seems to be a high demand on health care services by patients diagnosed with ILD, although to a varying range for individual factors which need to be analysed in further studies. This will help to optimise disease management and to influence the course of disease.A comparison with healthy controls will provide a basis for ongoing economic evaluation.