Self-reported Discharge Instruction Adherence Among Different Racial Groups Seen in the Emergency Department

Black and Hispanic patients were more likely than white patients to report difficulty in getting a follow-up appointment within a 2-week period, even though overall adherence was statistically similar between groups. Despite varied level of uninsured patients within each racial group, perceived follow-up cost was not found to be a major barrier. This suggests that improving adherence for a diverse population will require addressing institutional barriers such as appointment wait times and physician-patient ratios in addition to current efforts to increase access to care.