Association of Lower Continuity of Care With Greater Risk of Emergency Department Use and Hospitalization in Children

Abstract

Lower continuity of primary care is associated with higher risk of ED utilization and hospitalization. Efforts to improve and maintain continuity may be warranted.

Effect of Continuity of Care on Emergency Department Visits in Elderly Patients with Asthma in Taiwan

“…Furthermore, patients with Ͻ4 outpatient visits during the COC period were excluded (n ϭ 4183). 25,26,30,31 In total, 3395 patients were included ( Figure 1). …”

“…A COCI of 1 indicates that all outpatient visits were to the same physician; in other words, patients had a continuous connection with 1 physician. This index has been widely adopted in studies using claim data sets 30,31,34,35 because the index is less sensitive to the number of physician visits and more suitable for a higher number of outpatient visits. 33 The general formula for COCI is as follows:…”

After-Hours Information Given by Telephone by Family Physicians in Ontario

“…Continuity in primary care has been shown to reduce emergency department use (Christakis et al 2001;Gill et al 2000). It is in the best financial interest of physicians who belong to some of the reformed models in Ontario to encourage use of the after-hours clinic and THAs and to discourage use of walk-in clinics by their rostered patients.…”

Medical Student Education

“…3 Multiple studies point to the benefits of continuity of patient care, including improved delivery of preventive services, decreased emergency room use, fewer emergent hospital admissions and shorter hospital stays, and better management of chronic diseases. [4][5][6][7][8] Continuity of care also increases patient satisfaction. 9,10 These findings may in part be due to management of illness in a context of trust and respect between physician and patient.…”