Web-based primary care referral program associated with reduced emergency department utilization.

Background And Objectives: Uninsured patients without a primary care home tend to use the emergency department (ED) for primary care. We examined whether an enhanced scheduling system for follow-up care from the University of New Mexico Hospital Emergency Department (UNMH-ED) that assigns patients to a family medicine home can decrease ED utilization.

Methods: The Community Access Program for Central New Mexico (CAP-NM) is a consortium of primary care safety net provider organizations.