title: How do patients and physicians rate urgency of care? A comparison of urgency ratings for general surgery.
abstract: The notion of uniform terms and conditions speaks to equity of access--that fair rules apply in obtaining medically necessary services. However, when demand for medical services outweighs the supply of these services, the issue of "fair rules" concerning who comes first or who is most in need is a hotly debated subject. This debate has focused not just on how long patients may have to wait for access, but also on the question of how caregivers decide the priority of providing care. Central to this discussion is the need to develop a transparent methodology that fairly prioritizes patients based on urgency; timely access to services and acceptability to all stakeholders.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Administration, University of Toronto.
authors.forename: Caroline
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rafferty
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Markel
authors.forename: Ian
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Macmillan
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rodgers
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease / Q000145:classification*; D000553:Ambulatory Care; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D001294:Attitude to Health; D002170:Canada; D004630:Emergencies / Q000145:classification*; D006292:Health Priorities; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000592:standards; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006801:Humans; D018579:Patient Selection; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires