• Troy D Moon, Matthew B Laurens, Stephen M Weimer, and Jerussa A Levy.
• Department of Pediatrics, Tulane University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA. tmoon@tulane.edu
• Pediatr Emerg Care. 2005 Jun 1; 21 (6): 363-6.

ObjectiveTo identify patient reasons for accessing an urban Pediatric Emergency Room (PER) for primary care and to explore attitudes and practice regarding alternative sources for their medical home.MethodsA total of 210 questionnaires, consisting of 24 questions each, were completed in a face-to-face interview performed by trained interviewers. Questions asked included sources of medical care, frequency of use, and factors that went into caregiver decisions for using different sources of care.ResultsCaregivers choose the PER because of the short amount of time it takes for their child to be seen and discharged by a physician. Nearly 60% ranked wait time to see a doctor more important than seeing the same doctor every time (37.6%). About one-third of caregivers routinely brought their children to the PER for illness that is not serious. Only 77% of caregivers claimed that their children have a regular doctor. Many caregivers cited that they are seen more by their regular doctor for shots (well visits) than for ill visits and are seen in the PER for illness. In this study, 56% of children did not see the same regular doctor as their siblings.ConclusionsEfficiency and speed of health care delivery is of prime importance to this primarily Medicaid urban population. If strategies are to be implemented to attract these patients to a medical home that will strengthen their ties to their regular doctor, then the needs prioritized by the caregiver must be taken into consideration.

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