Education in the wake of healthcare reform: Increasing primary care usage by individuals currently reliant upon emergency departments for care

Abstract

Background:

The Affordable Care Act (ACA) was introduced, in part, to increase access to primary care, which has been shown to provide patients with myriad health benefits.

Objective:

To increase primary care usage by understanding the beliefs about primary and emergency care most salient to those whose healthcare-seeking practices may be impacted by the ACA.

Methods:

Community forum and focus group discussions were held with residents of a low-income community who are affected by health disparities, are heavily reliant on emergency care for their medical needs, and whose primary healthcare options should expand under the provisions of the ACA.

Results:

Explored within a theory of planned behaviour framework, results suggest residents’ attitudes toward primary and emergency care are predicated on beliefs about costs, wait times, and the ability to access care locally.

Conclusion:

In light of findings about the determinants that drive healthcare-seeking intentions and ultimately behaviours, we recommend educational strategies that health promoters can adopt to encourage populations that are newly insured and traditionally reliant on emergency services to pursue routine primary care.