Additional conditions
Commenting on the study, Martin Fortin, MD, clinical teaching professor at the University of Sherbrooke, Quebec, said, “This is a good opportunity to advocate for more studies to be done in the primary care context, where the majority of chronic disease management is done.”
However, Dr. Fortin wishes that more diagnoses had been included in the study, such as mental health and musculoskeletal conditions like back pain and osteoarthritis. These conditions are also commonly seen by primary care clinicians, according to Dr. Fortin.
Because the number of conditions studied is limited, the data may not reflect the true prevalence of multimorbidity, Dr. Fortin added.
Primary care doctors provide a broad perspective on the overall health of patients, compared with specialists who focus on particular conditions. Similarly, during drug trials, pharmaceutical companies aim to reduce complicating factors, even though the medications are prescribed for conditions where multimorbidity is common. “Medication should be tested in the real environment,” said Dr. Fortin.
Ultimately, he added, the study cannot address the complexity of the patients, but it nevertheless sheds light on who is providing care and where the research on these conditions should be done.
The study was conducted without outside funding. Dr. Kirkwood and Dr. Fortin reported no relevant financial relationships.
A version of this article first appeared on Medscape.com.