title: Emergency Department Use: Influence of Connection to a Family Physician on ED Use and Attempts to Avoid Presentation.
abstract: Some low-acuity emergency department (ED) presentations are potentially avoidable with improved primary care access. The majority of ED patients (74.4%) in this study had a family physician, but the frequency of visits varied substantially. The variable frequency of patients' visits to these providers calls into question the validity of linkage assumptions. Several sociodemographic factors were associated with having a family physician, including female sex, being married/common law, race (Caucasian), being employed over the previous 12 months and having received a flu shot in the past year. These factors need to be explored further.
authors.affiliation: Research coordinator with the Emergency Medicine Research Group (EMeRG) in the Department of Emergency Medicine at the University of Alberta.
authors.forename: Lynette D
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Krebs
authors.affiliation: Research coordinator within EMeRG in the Department of Emergency Medicine at the University of Alberta.
authors.forename: Scott W
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Kirkland
authors.affiliation: Researcher within EMeRG at the University of Alberta. She has an MSc in Clinical Epidemiology and a PhD in Public Health.
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Villa-Roel
authors.affiliation: Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Alberta.
authors.forename: Alan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Davidson
authors.affiliation: Holds a bachelor's degree in kinesiology from the University of Alberta. Her research interests include health services research and indigenous peoples' health. Britt is currently working for the Metis Nation of Alberta as a research assistant.
authors.forename: Britt
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Voaklander
authors.affiliation: Second-year medical student at the University of Alberta with an interest in emergency medicine, clinical research and evidence-based medicine.
authors.forename: Taylor
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nikel
authors.affiliation: Third-year BScN student at MacEwan University.
authors.forename: Rajiv
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Chetram
authors.affiliation: Database management coordinator within EMeRG at the University of Alberta.
authors.forename: Stephanie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Couperthwaite
authors.affiliation: Executive Director of the Brain Care Centre (BCC) in Edmonton.
authors.forename: Garnet
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cummings
authors.affiliation: Professor and Director of the EMeRG team in the Department of Emergency Medicine at the University of Alberta. He is the Scientific Director for the Institute of Circulatory and Respiratory Health at CIHR and the Emergency Strategic Clinical Network with Alberta Health Services.
authors.forename: Brian H
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Rowe
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000416:Alberta; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D058007:Physicians, Primary Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires