Ambulatory care-sensitive emergency visits among patients with medical home access

To characterize patterns of emergency department (ED) utilization for ambulatory care-sensitive conditions (ACSCs) among patients with established care within a patient-centered medical home.

Retrospective chart review using Michigan Medicine's (formerly University of Michigan Health System) electronic health record.

Ten general medicine (GM) physicians reviewed 256 ambulatory care-sensitive ED encounters that occurred between January 1, 2014, and December 31, 2014, among patients of a GM medical home. Physician reviewers abstracted from the medical record the day and time of ED presentation and the source of ED referral (eg, patient self-referral vs physician referral). Physicians assessed the appropriateness of the care location (eg, ED vs primary care). Interrater reliability was assessed using the kappa statistic, and the χ2 test was used to assess differences in the appropriateness of the care location according to ED referral source.

Compared with all other days of the week, the fewest number of ED visits occurred on weekend days, and nearly half of patients (48%) presented to the ED after daytime hours, which were defined as 8 am to 3:59 pm. The majority (n = 185; 72%) of patients were self-referred to the ED. The ED was considered the appropriate care location in more than half (53%) of the reviewed cases. Among the 119 cases considered appropriate for GM management, the majority (86%) were self-referred to the ED.

Patients with ACSCs often presented to the ED without contacting their medical home. Frequently, the ED is the most appropriate location given symptoms at presentation.