Understanding the pathways of high-cost use patients can help better guide health policy

The idea of healthcare spending being concentrated among a minority of users is well documented. Understanding this particularly heavy use of healthcare services is essential for helping to better guide public policy.

Using longitudinal medical-administrative data from the TorSaDE cohort, the authors of this study offer an original contribution with a Quebec context. They analyze high-use patients’ activities and identify the main factors associated with their care pathways. The study highlights the diversity and complexity of these individuals’ needs. The findings call for a rethinking of current strategies and in particular, a shift toward personalized approaches that anticipate needs, better support individuals and improve the system’s efficiency.

This study serves as a highly strategic tool for healthcare planning in Quebec. The early identification of high-risk trajectory profiles enables upstream action through targeted interventions before overuse becomes entrenched.