
TY  - JOUR
A1  - Siminski, Peter 
A1  - Cragg, Sue 
A1  - Middleton, Rebekkah 
A1  - Masso, Malcolm 
A1  - Lago, Luise 
A1  - Green, Janette 
A1  - Edgar, Kathy 
T1  - Primary care patients' views on why they present to Emergency Departments: Inappropriate attendances or inappropriate policy?
JF  - Australian Journal of Primary Health
JO  - Aust. J. Prim. Health
Y1  - 2005
VL  - 11
IS  - 2
SP  - 87
EP  - 95
KW  - 
UR  - https://doi.org/10.1071/PY05026 
N2  - This study investigates why some patients with apparently less urgent conditions present to emergency departments (EDs). We report on a survey of "potential primary-care" ED patients, who were asked about their reasons for choosing the ED over GPs. The sample consisted of 397 patients (with a response rate of 99% = 397/400), recruited in the former Illawarra Health Area. The three main reasons selected were: self-assessed urgency; being able to see the doctor and having tests or X-rays done in the same place; and self-assessed seriousness or complexity. The results do not appear to be sensitive to two potential sources of bias (fixed question ordering and non-random sampling). The results suggest a number of potential policy levers for encouraging some people to present to GPs rather than EDs. However, the main conclusion is that the majority of "potential primary-care" patients appear to be presenting for appropriate reasons. Thus "inappropriate attendances" do not seem to be the cause of EDs being under stress. We also argue that the results are useful for drawing inferences more broadly than just in relation to the Illawarra. 
ER  -

