Economic impact of outpatient care under the National Health Insurance by family physicians in a regional city in Fukushima Prefecture:a cross-sectional study

Key Points

• Evaluate the economic impact of family physicians on outpatient care within Japan's healthcare system.
• Conducted a cross-sectional analysis in a regional city of Fukushima Prefecture.
• Compared healthcare costs between family physicians and other types of doctors.
• Utilized existing healthcare cost data for analysis.
• Identified significant differences in healthcare costs between family physicians and other doctors.
• Demonstrated that family physicians may contribute to lower outpatient care costs.
• Highlighted the under-evaluated role of family physicians in Japan's healthcare system.