• C J T van Uden and H F J M Crebolder.
• Department of Integrated Care, Research Institute Caphri, University Hospital Maastricht, Netherlands. caro.vanuden@hag.unimaas.nl <caro.vanuden@hag.unimaas.nl>
• Emerg Med J. 2004 Nov 1;21(6):722-3.

ObjectiveTo investigate whether the reorganisation of out of hours primary care, from practice rotas to GP cooperatives, changed utilisation of primary and hospital emergency care.MethodsDuring a four week period before and a four week period after the reorganisation of out of hours primary care in a region in the south of the Netherlands all patient contacts with general practitioners and hospital accident and emergency (A&E) departments were analysed.ResultsA 10% increase was found in patient contacts with out of hours primary care, and a 9% decrease in patient contacts with out of hours emergency care. The number of self referrals at the A&E department was reduced by about 4%.ConclusionsThe reorganisation of out of hours primary care has led to a shift in patient contacts from emergency care to primary care.

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