None listed
Conditions
Brief summary
This study is a randomised controlled trial (RCT) utilising a single virtual site, the virtual Nurse on Call (NOC) platform. Participants will be recruited by contacting NOC and following the ascertainment of their eligibility by the nurse from NOC, eligible patients will be randomised to either receive advice to attend a physical emergency department or to contact the VVED. 1,142 participants will be included with 571 in each trial arm. Follow-up will continue for one week to observe participants’ health service use but the trial itself will take place over the course of several months until the last patients have been recruited and follow-up is completed. The outcome is patient’s use of either the VVED, physical ED, or admission to hospital and will be used to reflect the acceptability of NOC advice by patients.
Interventions
The intervention is advice from the virtual Nurse on Call portal to attend the Victorian Virtual ED (VVED). The VVED is a novel telehealth resource, initially launching in 2020, the VVED allows patients to remotely consult with an emergency nurse or doctor using video technology. In this trial, eligible patients who seek urgent medical care from the Victorian Nurse on Call (NOC) telephone service will be randomly allocated to be advised to seek care from the VVED or receive the standard advice t
The intervention is advice from the virtual Nurse on Call portal to attend the Victorian Virtual ED (VVED). The VVED is a novel telehealth resource, initially launching in 2020, the VVED allows patients to remotely consult with an emergency nurse or doctor using video technology. In this trial, eligible patients who seek urgent medical care from the Victorian Nurse on Call (NOC) telephone service will be randomly allocated to be advised to seek care from the VVED or receive the standard advice to attend a physical ED at a 1:1 ratio. The nurses will provide this advice over the phone using scripting. The scripting ensures that families know that VVED is an option, but they can still attend a physical ED if required. Compliance with the advised allocation will be assessed via linked medical records.
Sponsors
Murdoch Children's Research Institute (MCRI)
Study design
Allocation
Randomised controlled trial
Intervention model
Parallel
Primary purpose
Treatment
Masking
Open (masking not used)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
All
Age
No minimum to 18 Years
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
Participants need to meet the following criteria to be included in the study: - Point of contact to NOC must be a parent/guardian of a child aged 0-18 years old - Currently located in Victoria at the time of call - Patients presenting with non-life-threatening conditions AND are deemed by NOC protocols as requiring ED review.
Exclusion criteria
Participants meeting any of the following criteria will be excluded from this study: • Patients who present to NOC with life-threatening conditions (ie. altered conscious state, severe work of breathing) • Currently located outside of Victoria • Children or young people who present to NOC without a parent/caregiver. • Primary complaint relating to pregnancy, suicide or drug/alcohol misuse
Outcome results
None listed