A recent study has revealed an increase in the number of adults reporting barriers to timely primary care, according to an AHA News Now report.
A study from the Archives of Internal Medicine shows more than 12 percent of respondents reported at least one barrier to timely primary care in 2009 — a jump from 6.3 percent in 1999. Nearly 19 percent of the adults who reported at least one emergency department visit in the past 12 months also reported at least one barrier to primary care, up from 12 percent in 1999.
Barriers cited include trouble getting a timely or convenient appointment or difficulty arranging transportation to the physician. Study authors said these findings suggest that limited access to primary care is an important contributor to rising ED volumes and attempts to limit or reduce ED utilization will require solutions addressing these mentioned hurdles.
Read the AHA News Now report on the study of barriers to primary care.
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A study from the Archives of Internal Medicine shows more than 12 percent of respondents reported at least one barrier to timely primary care in 2009 — a jump from 6.3 percent in 1999. Nearly 19 percent of the adults who reported at least one emergency department visit in the past 12 months also reported at least one barrier to primary care, up from 12 percent in 1999.
Barriers cited include trouble getting a timely or convenient appointment or difficulty arranging transportation to the physician. Study authors said these findings suggest that limited access to primary care is an important contributor to rising ED volumes and attempts to limit or reduce ED utilization will require solutions addressing these mentioned hurdles.
Read the AHA News Now report on the study of barriers to primary care.
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