A survey of systems for after-hours care

As part of medical care contracts and in response to patient needs for access, HMOs offer a full system of medical care, with 24-hour-per-day, 365-day-per-year coverage for emergencies. As economic units, HMOs strive to efficiently use staff, facilities and financial resources to provide these services. With high quality a goal for all medical services, the HMO needs to shape its emergency care coverage system to satisfy patient needs. Competitive forces and facility availability will play an important role in shaping the design of emergency and after-hours care in each medical community. This article will focus on patient needs, provider considerations, and HMO plan concerns for emergency and after-hours care.