Extension of emergency medical care: continuing emergency care clinic.
An alternative follow-up system, a Continuing Emergency Care clinic (CEC) was developed at The Medical College of Pennsylvania in an attempt to increase emergency department patient compliance for follow-up. One year after the CEC was in operation, in an attempt to determine variables influencing the effectiveness of the clinic, a total of 375 emergency department patients given follow-up appointments to the CEC were studied. Results showed that a change in the structure of the clinic appointment and a shift in the line of responsibility for follow-up care directly to the emergency physician are two major variables positively affecting patient compliance.
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003266:Continuity of Patient Care; D004632:Emergency Medical Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010349:Patient Compliance; D011446:Prospective Studies