Single points of access to fill the “GAP” for unattached patients in primary care: what makes paediatric users more likely to require a medical appointment?

Abstract

Unattachment to a regular primary care professional can affect children’s and adolescents’ well-being, considering their unique health needs. Having no alternative, many turn to emergency departments for non-urgent conditions. To help unattached patients access healthcare services while on waitlists, Quebec’s government implemented single access points in each administrative region across the province. Our study aimed to describe the paediatric population using single access points and identify associations between their characteristics and need for a medical appointment. Clinical-administrative data of 1,323 paediatric access point users in the Montérégie region from November 2022 to March 2023 were utilized to conduct bivariate and multivariable regression analyses. Our study showed that young age, assessment trajectory, and specific reasons for calling were more likely to necessitate a medical appointment. While access points improve accessibility to doctors, questions remain regarding the relevance of medical consultations, inequities, and possible security issues resulting from the overall process.