In the news: Poor communication between ED and primary care physicians puts patients at risk

A Center for Studying Health System Change study reveals that ED and primary care physicians are not communicating when patients are admitted to the hospital, reports The Seattle Times. The study matched 21 pairs of emergency department and primary care doctors working out of the same hospital and discovered that primary care physicians rarely contact the ED, even if they send a patient to the hospital; ED docs rarely call the primary care physician to clarify information or discuss treatment options; and ED physicians rarely communicate with primary care physicians after treatment to help the primary care physician provide appropriate follow-up care. Researchers also found communication methods between the two groups cumbersome and time-consuming.