The importance of continuity of care has been studied in a systematic review^[1].

Continuity of care is also important for after hospitalizations and emergency department visits (see hospital readmission). Follow-up visits after emergency department visits may also be important^[2].

Physicians vary widely in their setting revisit intervals^[3].

Shorter revisit intervals is associated with better care of hypertension^[4][5] Aand may be associated with better care of diabetes^[6].

There is insufficient time in primary care to address

• Executing preventive care^[7]

• Seeking reimbursement for preventive care^[8]

Medicare has created G-codes to support billing for the increasing burden of non-face-to-work to help patients. Examples include:

• CPT codes 99358 and 99359 (Prolonged service without direct patient contact)
• CPT codes 99415 and 99416 (Prolonged clinical staff services)
• CPT code 99417 (Prolonged office/outpatient E/M services with or without direct patient contact).

• HCPCS add-on code G2212 (Prolonged office/outpatient E/M services)^[9][10]

Primary care practices underuse these codes^[8].

Interventions to improve primary care via replacement (clinic-based or home-based) or augmentation have been studied^[11].

Primary card practices are shifting to being part of larger systems^[12][13].

• Secondary care
• Tertiary care
• Quaternary care
• World Organization of Family Doctors (Wonca)
• International Classification of Primary Care (ICPC)
• Health care systems

• Defining Primary Care from Institute of Medicine IOM – Primary Care: America’s Health in a New Era (1996)
• Primary Care Definitions from American Academy of Family Physicians AAFP
• Definition of Primary Care from American Medical Association AMA
• Defining primary health care Department of Health United Kingdom UK
• What is primary health care? Aboriginal Medical Services Alliance Northern Territory (AMSANT) Australia

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