Evaluation of a transitions clinic to bridge emergency department and primary care

Suboptimal transitions from the emergency department (ED) to ambulatory settings contribute to poor clinical outcomes and unnecessary nonurgent ED utilization. Care transition clinics (CTCs) are a potential solution by providing ED follow-up and facilitating the bridge to longer-term primary care.

The objective was to evaluate the implementation of an ED transitions clinic on 30-day ED revisits and hospital readmissions.

Retrospective cross-sectional study.

This study included adults 18 years and older discharged from the ED and reeferred to the CTC.

Appointment attendance, follow-up time, and frequencies of care type provided were computed to assess clinic utilization. Rates of 30-day ED revisit and hospital admission were compared between completed and missed appointments using logistic regression.

Between March 2021 and March 2022, 373 patients were referred to the CTC totaling 405 appointments. Half (53%) of appointments were completed with a median follow-up time of 4 days (IQR = [2, 7]). The most common care types provided were wound care (44%) and clinical problem management (33%), with wound care appointments more likely to be completed compared with clinical appointments (OR = 1.7, CI = [1.1, 2.8], p = .03). Patients who completed their CTC appointment were 50% less likely to return to the ED in 30 days compared with those who did not complete their appointment (OR = 0.51, CI = [0.27, 0.98], p < .05). No effect was seen for CTC appointment completion on hospital readmission. Transition clinics are a viable method to provide timely access to follow-up for patients discharged from the ED and may help reduce excess ED use for ambulatory care needs.