C J Tilley

Publications (2)4.4 Total impact

• Article: Changing clinicians' behavior: a randomized controlled trial of fees and education.

  J E Clarkson, S Turner, J M Grimshaw, C R Ramsay, M Johnston, A Scott, D Bonetti, C J Tilley, G Maclennan, R Ibbetson, L M D Macpherson, N B Pitts
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  ABSTRACT: The fissure-sealing of newly erupted molars is an effective caries prevention treatment, but remains underutilized. Two plausible reasons are the financial disincentive produced by the dental remuneration system, and dentists' lack of awareness of evidence-based practice. The primary hypothesis was that implementation strategies based on remuneration or training in evidence-based healthcare would produce a higher proportion of children receiving sealed second permanent molars than standard care. The four study arms were: fee per sealant treatment, education in evidence-based practice, fee plus education, and control. A cost-effectiveness analysis was conducted. Analysis was based on 133 dentists and 2833 children. After adjustment for baseline differences, the primary outcome was 9.8% higher when a fee was offered. The education intervention had no statistically significant effect. 'Fee only' was the most cost-effective intervention. The study contributes to the incentives in health care provision debate, and led to the introduction of a direct fee for this treatment.
  Journal of Dental Research 08/2008; 87(7):640-4. · 3.49 Impact Factor
• Article: Measuring access to health services: General Dental Services in Scotland.

  C J Tilley, M J Chalkley
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  ABSTRACT: Recently the issue of access to health services has been brought into sharp focus by clear evidence of rationing--patients queuing for NHS registration--in the NHS General Dental Services (GDS). Conventional estimates suggest that about 50% of adults are registered per annum. This paper demonstrates that these conventional measures of access and utilisation can generate potentially misleading inferences. By analysing individual-level claims data from over 35,000 patients over six years we are able to: identify the underlying patterns of utilisation that generate the aggregate 50% registration rate; provide more detailed estimates of utilisation and access; and suggest possible determinants of the patterns of utilisation we observe. Primary care health services. In contrast to conventional estimates of access we find that close to 80% of the adult population in Scotland has had access to GDS over a six year period. Moreover, we find that the population is comprised of a relatively large group of patients (30% of the population) who access GDS at least once a year and a substantial group (19% of the adult population) who access services only once in six years. The groups who access services at intermediate frequencies are less numerous. Assessing the effectiveness of the public provision of health care services requires accurate information regarding access to those services. This paper sets out a framework for analysing and interpreting longitudinal data to provide information on the extent of access to health care services.
  British dental journal 12/2005; 199(9):599-601; discussion 583. · 0.92 Impact Factor