Primary care patients’ reasons for choosing emergency department services in Jordan

摘要

Over-use of emergency departments (EDs) by patients with primary care problems is a matter of concern. I studied patients and carers of children attending the family medicine clinics in the ED of Al-Bashir Hospital in Amman, Jordan1 from May to July 2011, during office hours (Sunday to Thursday, 8:00–16:00) to determine their main reason for choosing this service rather than a GP or medical centre.