Risk factors for outbreaks of SARS-CoV-2 infection at retirement homes in Ontario, Canada: a population-level cohort study.

Background: The epidemiology of SARS-CoV-2 infection in retirement homes (also known as assisted living facilities) is largely unknown. We examined the association between home-and community-level characteristics and the risk of outbreaks of SARS-CoV-2 infection in retirement homes since the beginning of the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods: We conducted a population-based, retrospective cohort study of licensed retirement homes in Ontario, Canada, from Mar.

Predicting patients with high risk of becoming high-cost healthcare users in Ontario (Canada).

Literature and original analysis of healthcare costs have shown that a small proportion of patients consume the majority of healthcare resources. A proactive approach is to target interventions towards those patients who are at risk of becoming high-cost users (HCUs). This approach requires identifying high-risk patients accurately before substantial avoidable costs have been incurred and health status has deteriorated further.

High-cost users of Ontario's healthcare services.

Approximately 1.5% of ontario's population, represented by the top 5% highest cost-incurring users of ontario's hospital and home care services, account for 61% of hospital and home care costs. Similar studies from other jurisdictions also show that a relatively small number of people use a high proportion of health system resources.