Analysis of users and reasons for use of a physician-on-call service in an Italian local health unit.

Background: In recent years, several countries have proposed changes to primary care organisation.

Objective: Our study investigated the characteristics of 'physician-on-call' usage in a local health unit of Lombardy (ASL MI1).

Methods: We analysed the incoming calls to the Operative Medical Central Station and collected the user characteristics, the call reasons and the outcomes from 1 October to 31 December 2012.