Comparison of Total Estimated Time Over Two Years
Patients with Chronic Conditions Had with
Designated Continuity Clinician versus Other Clinicians
In Which Telephone Contact Proved to Be Either an Additional Service (Middle Columns)
or a Substitute for Face-to Face Office Visits (Right-hand Columns).
Usual Care is Depicted in the Left-hand Columns
Thirty minutes was the average time for scheduled face-to-face visits; telephone contacts averaged about 10 minutes. Patients randomly assigned for phone contact typically received 8 phone calls over 2 years from their designated primary care clinicians. Participating patients were similar in all groups: male veterans, older than 54 years of age with chronic conditions.