Primary care for nontraumatic illness at the emergency department and the family physician's office.

A total of 1117 visits by patients to two hospital emergency departments and 15 family physicians' offices for nontraumatic complaints over two 2-week periods were studied. Patients visiting the two settings fell into two distinct subgroups, and they appeared to select where to seek care by the acuteness and duration of the complaint. Several highly significant differences were noted between the two groups: those who visited an emergency department had complaints of shorter duration, underwent more investigations (which more often gave abnormal results), were more likely to undergo investigation for mental symptoms, had more consultations, received counselling and drug therapy less often (but intramuscular injections more often), were admitted to hospital more often, returned for further care for the same complaint less often, complied with disposal instructions less often, were more likely to receive fewer than 5 days' care and were less likely to receive more than 31 days' care; those without a family physician more often received additional care (were referred, admitted or asked to return).