Alternative care providers accessed before the emergency department visit: N = 116; not all survey questions were answered by all patients. Response rates reported for each question reflect those for which any response was recorded and the denominators were adjusted accordingly.
| TYPE OF PRACTITIONER | PATIENTS WHO ATTEMPTED ACCESS, N (%) |
|---|---|
| Physician visit | 78 (67.2) |
| • Family physician | 30 (25.9) |
| • Walk-in clinic | 33 (28.4) |
| • Non–family physician specialist | 7 (6.4) |
| • Other | 1 (0.9) |
| Other health care professional visit | 26 (22.4) |
| • Naturopath | 2 (1.7) |
| • Massage therapist | 1 (0.9) |
| • Other | 18 (15.5) |
| • Multiple | 2 (1.7) |
| • No response | 3 (2.6) |
| Called a physician’s office | 54 (46.6) |
| Called provincial health information line | 13 (11.2) |