Can improved specialty access moderate emergency department overuse?: Effect of neurology appointment delays on ED visits.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Delayed access to specialty care may increase inappropriate emergency department (ED) visits. However, the details of this relationship after referral to a specialist are unknown.

Methods

The correlations in an academic medical center between time to new neurology patient appointments and nonurgent ED use are explored in this study. Access was measured as the number of days between the scheduling and outpatient appointment dates. A series of statistical analyses including correlation analysis, regressions, and hypothesis tests were conducted to investigate possible associations between delayed access to specialty care and ED visits, as well as the effect of ED visits on specialty care cancellation and no-show rates.

Results

Of 19,505 new neurology patients,

SUBMITTER: Nourazari S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5964823 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature