Abstract
To determine how often housestaff notified primary care providers (PCPs) of admissions, whether notification prompted a visit, and whether PCP input impacted care, 210 medical inpatients were asked about their PCPs, and at discharge, housestaff completed a questionnaire on the patient’s PCP, and whether he or she was contacted, came to the hospital, and influenced care. Of 105 patients with a PCP, 74 were contacted and 26 visited their patients. The PCPs spoken with personally more often made hospital visits than those contacted only by message (p<0.0001). PCP input frequently contributed to patient care by providing continuity, clarifying history/diagnosis, managing chronic problems, and elucidating psychosocial/cultural factors. Having a PCP did not influence length of stay or readmission rates.
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Received from the Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington.
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Ways, M., Umali, J. & Buchwald, D. Frequency and impact of housestaff contact with primary care physicians. J Gen Intern Med 10, 688–690 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02602765
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02602765