After-hours care in the United Kingdom, Denmark, and the Netherlands: new models.
There are indications that after-hours care in some countries is of poor quality. European after-hours care is shifting away from individual and group practices with local after-hours call schedules toward large-scale after-hours care services. Experiences with primary care cooperatives in three countries show that this model can lighten physicians' workloads, reduce the number of face-to-face contacts, reduce use of emergency services and hospital admissions, and lower costs. Most patients accept these new models but are dissatisfied if they expect to see a physician. Local or regional integration of all emergency services seems to be the most promising model for after-hours care.
Grol
Richard
R
Centre for Quality of Care Research (WOK), Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Center, the Netherlands. r.grol@kwazo.umcn.nl
Giesen
Paul
P
van Uden
Caro
C
D039602:After-Hours Care / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000592:standards; D003718:Denmark; D005194:Family Practice / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D017146:Models, Organizational; D009426:Netherlands; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006113:United Kingdom