Recent changes in the organization of health care services, coupled with rising rates of primary care physician (PCP) turnover, pose threats to the maintenance of a continuous patient-physician relationship. Little is known, however, about how PCP departure may affect patients' quality of health care. Methods: Participants were adult patients whose PCPs left a large, multispecialty group practice from July 1, 1994, to June 30, 1996 (n = 3931), and adult patients of a set of matched PCPs who

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... ined in the practice at least 2 years beyond the index PCPs departure dates (n=8009). We compared the following measures of quality of care: adherence to recommended screening guidelines, adequacy of blood pressure and glycemic control in patients with hypertension and/or diabetes mellitus, and use of urgent care and emergency department services. Results: Among the women who received a mammogram in the 2-year baseline period, a higher proportion of those whose PCP departed did not continue to receive mammograms, although the difference did not reach (REPRINTED) ARCH INTERN MED/ VOL 163, DEC 8/22, 2003 WWW.ARCHINTERNMED.COM 2733