Adult patients accessing emergency department for non-urgent visits. Other
Conditions
Interventions
The enrolled participants will be asked to complete a paper questionnaire designed to collect information on their symptoms, self-perceived urgency, and motives for attending the ED. At the same time,
Sponsors
Institute of General Practice and Public Health (University Center for Healthcare Professions)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
All
Inclusion criteria
Inclusion criteria: 1. Adult patients (= 18 years). 2. Clinical conditions triaged as "non-urgent" ("blue") or "normal" ("green") according to the Manchester Triage System. 3. Able to communicate in either German or Italian. 4. Consent to participate in the study.
Exclusion criteria
Exclusion criteria: 1. Minor patients (<18 years old). 2. Patients with high acuity triaged as "immediate" ("red"), "very urgent" ("orange"), or "urgent" ("yellow"). 3. Non-triaged patients requiring immediate or emergency treatment without waiting time. 4. Patients triaged with fast track (i.e., specialized visits). 5. Additionally, patients meeting one or more of the following criteria will also be excluded: 5.1. Cognitive impairment (e.g., patients with any condition that results in impaired decision-making that may affect informed consent, such as patients with dementia or psychiatric conditions). 5.2. Inability to communicate verbally in German or Italian. 5.3. Lack of consent (e.g., patients who refused to participate or were unable to consent). 5.4. Direct referral to another outpatient clinic or department within the hospital.
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame |
|---|---|
| Potentially avoidable ED visits. There is no universally accepted definition of a potentially preventable ED visit. In our study we define potentially avoidable ED visits those that are (1) triaged as non-urgent (i.e., priority level "blue" or "green" according to the MTS), and (2) where the care provided could have been treated safely and effectively in a primary care setting (e.g., GP). Accordingly, the healthcare professionals in the ED (i.e., the triage nurse and the medical doctor in charge of the patient) will independently assess the patient at discharge if the visit was potentially avoidable (1=yes, 2=no) considering the patient’s somatic, mental, or social problems in accessing the ED. Measured using patient records at the end of the study. | — |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame |
|---|---|
| Patients’ self-reported access to primary care services (i.e., contact with or visit to the GP) for the current health problem prior to attending the ED (1=yes, 2=no). Measured using patient records at the end of the study. | — |
Countries
Italy
Contacts
Public ContactDietmar Ausserhofer
Outcome results
None listed