Study on non-urgent emergency department visits in South Tyrol (Italy)

Not Applicable

• Conditions: Adult patients accessing emergency department for non-urgent visits.; Not Applicable

• Registration Number: ISRCTN17355506
• Lead Sponsor: Institute of General Practice and Public Health (University Center for Healthcare Professions)

Brief Summary

Not available

Detailed Description

Not available

Study Timeline

• Results First Posted: 1900-01-01
• Study Start: 2024-09-25
• Last Update Posted: 30 September 2024
• Study Completion: 2025-12-31

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: Ongoing
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 1000

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

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.

Study & Design

• Study Type: Observational
• Study Design: Not specified

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
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 Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
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.