Emergency department visits as a potential opportunity to promote primary care attachment and modify utilization patterns - results of a pilot study in Berlin, Germany.

Background: Utilization by low acuity patients contributes to emergency department (ED) crowding. Both knowledge deficits about adequate care levels and access barriers in primary care are important promoters of such presentations. Concurrently, not having a general practitioner (GP) increases the likelihood of low-acuity ED utilization.