None listed
Conditions
Brief summary
To explore the impact of the advanced scope physiotherapy (ASP) service on patient flow in the emergency department fast track stream and determine whether an additional ASP and expansion of hours impacts patient flow. An additional ASP will be rostered in ED over the intervention period and key emergency department (ED) patient flow metrics will be collected and compared to when there is only one ASP (usual care). The primary outcomes of ED patient flow metrics include time for patients to be seen, total length of stay, proportion of patients being seen in the recommended amount of time and proportion of patients meeting the four hour rule in ED.
Interventions
ASP's are primary contact practitioners in ED. They independently assess, diagnose and manage patients presenting to ED with closed musculoskeletal pain and/or injury. ASP's may seek input from other ED clinicians (doctors, nurses, other allied health workers) as required.
ASP's are involved in the care of the patient from the time of triage to discharge from the ED. For the purpose of this study, participants of the study and their ED presentation data will only be reviewed once discharged fro
ASP's are primary contact practitioners in ED. They independently assess, diagnose and manage patients presenting to ED with closed musculoskeletal pain and/or injury. ASP's may seek input from other ED clinicians (doctors, nurses, other allied health workers) as required. ASP's are involved in the care of the patient from the time of triage to discharge from the ED. For the purpose of this study, participants of the study and their ED presentation data will only be reviewed once discharged from ED. 5 week intervention period Time period 2: 1 ASP rostered 8 hour shift from 8am to 4pm, and another ASP rostered 8 hour shift from 12noon to 8pm or 2pm to 10pm in vertical stream (fast track) at St John of God Midland Public and Private Hospital Emergency Department over 5 consecutive Mondays. The ASP's involved in the study are all credentialed ASP's already working within the service. The ASP's working as part of the intervention will be working within their normal scope of practice, and function 'as per usual'. Nil additional training / preparation will be required for the ASP's to complete additional shifts which is the intervention of this study. Patients streamed to fast track require medical care for less serious illnesses and injuries. Primarily Australasian Triage Scale (ATS) category 3-5 patients, fast track patients need to be ambulant. Examples of patients streamed to fast track include: - musculoskeletal pain (back pain) - musculoskeletal injury (ankle sprain) - open or closed fractures - low risk abdominal pain
Sponsors
St John of God Healthcare
Study design
Allocation
Non-randomised trial
Intervention model
Other
Primary purpose
Treatment
Masking
Open (masking not used)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
All
Age
5 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
All patients who present to SJGMPPH ED and triaged to fast track (vertical stream) over the study period will be included for the project.
Exclusion criteria
Non-fast track (vertical) stream ED patients
Outcome results
None listed