A comparison of after-hours telephone calls concerning ambulatory and nursing home patients.
BACKGROUND
This study documents the frequency and nature of after-hours telephone calls to a university-based family practice, with special attention to those calls from or about nursing home patients.


METHODS
All after-hours telephone calls to a free-standing family practice training program that were made during the 6 months between July 1991 and January 1992 were recorded and classified.


RESULTS
Of the 821 calls recorded, 81 included telephone calls from nursing home patients. Nursing home patients, who constitute about 1% of the practice, were responsible for 10% of the calls (P < .001). Nursing home patient calls were more likely to occur on weekends (P = .013) and were more likely to be for physician notification purposes (P < .001).


CONCLUSIONS
Nursing home patients generate a disproportionately large number of after-hours calls. These calls are more likely to occur on weekends and less likely to require physician action. This is a considerable hidden practice burden that needs to be taken into account when planning practice coverage.
Perkins
A
A
Department of Family Practice and Community Medicine, University of South Alabama College of Medicine, Mobile 36604.
Gagnon
R
R
deGruy
F
F
D000407:Alabama / Q000453:epidemiology; D000553:Ambulatory Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus; D011307:Drug Prescriptions; D004358:Drug Therapy; D005194:Family Practice; D006801:Humans; D009551:Night Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D009735:Nursing Homes / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections; D013689:Telephone / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014947:Wounds and Injuries