Primary and consultant care. Can they be distinguished?

Four of five national data sets were adequate to distinguish primary and consultant care by specialty. The one data set that could not be used in this way includes most acute hospital care provided in the United States. Using a functional classification that was independent of specialty, one of five national data sets is purported by its sponsors to distinguish primary from consultant care, and that effort is not ongoing. Greater effort is needed to collect ongoing data distinguishing primary and consultant care specialties by function.