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Primary and specialty care physicians make it a practice to provide
coverage after office hours and on weekends. In
fact, it is a requirement for all network providers to maintain this coverage.
However, are your patients aware of this
service, or are they simply going to the emergency room/department (ER) for
care?
According to results obtained via the 2013 Consumer Assessment of Healthcare
Providers and Systems (CAHPS)
survey, the number of members calling the physician after office hours over the
last four years has been steadily
decreasing for all lines of business. A recent study of a targeted member
population showed that members used
the ER for urgent medical care, including otitis media, upper respiratory
infection, and acute pharyngitis. Forty-one
percent of these ER visits occurred on the weekend, when most primary care
practices are closed.
Although some physician offices have voicemail or answering services that
answer calls after hours, this may not
prevent an ER visit if the patient does not call the office or understand the
difference between an emergency and an
urgent medical care need. Visits to the ER can interrupt continuity of care and
may affect quality of care as well ?
especially if the patient's physician is unaware of the ER visit and needed
follow-up care is absent.
Educate your patients
Independence encourages all physicians to discuss after-hours and weekend
coverage with their patients. Physicians
can communicate this message by:
- placing a notification in the office that explains how to contact you when
the office is closed;
- discussing coverage individually with their patients.
Remind patients to contact their primary physician or specialist after an ER
visit for assessment of appropriate
follow-up care. This is especially important for pediatric patients, elderly
patients, and those patients with chronic
conditions. Explain that calling will allow the physician office to coordinate
services with the facility for the best
patient outcome.
All patients want to receive the best possible care. Therefore, they may be
more apt to communicate more openly with
your office to coordinate care after hours and after ER visits if they
understand the rationale behind the request.
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