After-Hours Care and Its Coordination with Primary Care in the U.S.
Download
Key Findings
After-hours care coordinated with a patient’s usual primary care provider is facilitated by consideration of patient demand, provider capacity, a shared electronic health record, systematic notification procedures and a broader practice approach to improving primary care access and continuity. Payer support is important to increasing patients’ access to after-hours care.
Based on 28 organizations interviewed, five broad models of after-hours care were identified, ranging in the extent to which they provide continuity and patient access. Key themes included: 1) The feasibility of a model varies for many reasons, including patient preferences and needs, the local health care market supply, and financial compensation; 2) A shared electronic health record and systematic notification procedures were extremely helpful in maintaining information continuity between providers; and 3) after-hours care is best implemented as part of a larger practice approach to access and continuity.
More like this from Mathematica
Featured Publication
Evaluation of the Maryland Total Cost of Care Model: Progress Report
How do you apply evidence?
Take our quick four-question survey to help us curate evidence and insights that serve you.
Take our survey