Table 2.

Actions taken during initial appointments

	N (%)
Total	287
Contact with general practitioners:
Contact made by telephone: yes/no	254 (88)/32 (11)
Absence of contact with a general practitioner because …
General practitioner not available (answering machine or secretary)	13 (40)
Other reasons (unknown phone number, lack of time)	13 (40)
Absence of a patient-designated doctor	6 (18)
Duration of calls to the general practitioner (min)	10 (3–43)
Letters sent to general practitioners: yes/no	234 (81)/47 (16)
Information sent to general practitioners: yes/no	225 (78)/52 (18)
Contact with town nurses:
Contact by telephone: yes/no	188 (65)/98 (34)
Absence of contact with town nurses because…
Absence of patient-designated nurse	70 (72)
Other reasons (unknown phone number, lack of time)	25 (25)
Nurse not available	3 (3)
Duration of calls to town nurse (min)	6 (2–30)
Contact with town pharmacists
Contact by telephone: yes/no	242 (84)/44 (15)
Absence of contact with town pharmacists because…
Medication given by hospital	26 (60)
Other reasons (unknown phone number, lack of time)	8 (18)
Absence of a patient-designated pharmacist	7 (16)
Pharmacist not available	3 (6)
Duration of call to pharmacist (min)	10 (2–40)
Total length of CN calls (pharmacist + general practitioner + town nurse)	20 (2–65)
Contact with social services	46
Duration of call to social services (min)	30 (5–185)
Other calls	72
Requests for additional examinations	51 (71)
Other	9 (12.5)
Hospital nurses	5 (7)
Hospital doctors	4 (5.5)
Town laboratory	2 (3)
Dieticians	1 (1)
Duration of calls (min)	10 (5–20)