An Attempt to Influence Health Care Visits of Frequent Hospital Emergency Facility Users

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Abstract
In this study, 445 patients under 19 years of age who visited an urban hospital emergency facility for acute illnesses four or more times over 2 years were randomly divided into two groups. The parents of 230 of the patients received three letters that stressed the value of continuous pediatric care and the lack of continuity available in emergency facilities. The letters indicated a willingness to offer advice as to how they could obtain continuing care. The remaining 215 patients served as controls. During the following year, the patients whose parents received the letters and the controls were compared in their visits to the hospital's emergency facility, primary care unit, and subspecialty clinics. Very few differences were noted between the two groups.

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