Primary options for acute care: general practitioners using their skills to manage "avoidable admission" patients in the community.
OBJECTIVE
To enroll 600 primary care "avoidable admission" patients in a programme that utilised general practitioners to manage those patients in the community.


METHODS
The Primary Options for Acute Care (POAC) programme ran from 26 February to 31 December 2001. Using networks already established, primary care teams were invited to manage patients using any resources they required, up to a cost of approximately $266 per patient. If needed, a Service Coordinator was available to arrange investigations, care, or treatment.


RESULTS
From 26 February to 31 December 2001, 707 patients were enrolled in POAC by 100 GPs. 104 patients (15%) were eventually admitted to hospital. An average of $200.73 per patient per episode was spent (not including administrative costs). A wide variety of patients and diseases were managed. Patients and general practitioners reported high levels of satisfaction with the programme.


CONCLUSIONS
POAC demonstrated the ability and willingness of primary care providers to successfully manage patients who traditionally would be sent to hospital, within a defined budget
Aish
Harley
H
Primary Options for Acute Care, Auckland, New Zealand.
Didsbury
Peter
P
Cressey
Paul
P
Grigor
Janice
J
Gribben
Barry
B
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002017:Budgets; D003153:Community Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009520:New Zealand; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D011216:Practice Management, Medical / Q000458:organization & administration; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians'; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000191:economics / Q000458:organization & administration*; D016730:Program Development; D012017:Referral and Consultation / Q000458:organization & administration