Patients seen in emergency departments who had a prior visit within the previous 72Â h-National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey, 2002

Approximately seven of every 10 return visits to EDs in 2002 were for follow-up services, and no difference existed in the percentage of return visits for infectious diseases compared with total visits. A health services implication exists for treating this percentage of patients in EDs when primary care practitioners should be the point of contact.