Trial Outcomes & Findings for Triaging and Referring in Adjacent General and Emergency Departments (NCT NCT03793972)

NCT ID: NCT03793972

Last Updated: 2025-03-11

Results Overview

The difference between intervention and control period will be calculated. Treatment at the GPC means having a record at the GPC.

• Recruitment status: COMPLETED
• Study phase: NA
• Target enrollment: 8158 participants
• Primary outcome timeframe: Patient flow will be followed for 24 hours after presentation at the ED
• Results posted on: 2025-03-11

Participant Flow

Unit of analysis: Weekends

Participant milestones

Measure	Triage With Referral to Primary Care Triage and referral according to eMTS. Triage with referral to primary care: During intervention weekends(and holidays) a nurse will triage patients using a newly developped extended Manchester Triage System (eMTS). Patients appropriate for primary care will be referred to the general practitioner on call.We will inform patients about the nature of the intervention using leaflets and broadcasting in the waiting room of the Emergency Department.	Triage Without Referral to Primary Care Weekends with usual care Usual care: During a control weekend (and holidays), all data registration and collection will be the same as during intervention weekends but patents will not be informed about their allocation advice. The emergency physician will see all patients deciding to stay at the ED, without influence of the triage advice. As in standard clinical care, patients will have the right to change their mind and go spontaneously to the general practitioner. . During control weekends, we will only inform about triage in general but no about the general practioner or the intervention.
Overall Study STARTED	6374 37	1784 10
Overall Study COMPLETED	6374 37	1784 10
Overall Study NOT COMPLETED	0 0	0 0

Reasons for withdrawal

Withdrawal data not reported

Baseline Characteristics

Triaging and Referring in Adjacent General and Emergency Departments

Baseline characteristics by cohort

Measure	Triage With Referral to Primary Care n=6374 Participants Triage and referral according to eMTS. Triage with referral to primary care: During intervention weekends(and holidays) a nurse will triage patients using a newly developped extended Manchester Triage System (eMTS). Patients appropriate for primary care will be referred to the general practitioner on call.We will inform patients about the nature of the intervention using leaflets and broadcasting in the waiting room of the Emergency Department.	Triage Without Referral to Primary Care n=1784 Participants Weekends with usual care Usual care: During a control weekend (and holidays), all data registration and collection will be the same as during intervention weekends but patents will not be informed about their allocation advice. The emergency physician will see all patients deciding to stay at the ED, without influence of the triage advice. As in standard clinical care, patients will have the right to change their mind and go spontaneously to the general practitioner. . During control weekends, we will only inform about triage in general but no about the general practioner or the intervention.	Total n=8158 Participants Total of all reporting groups
Age, Continuous	38 years STANDARD_DEVIATION 25 • n=5 Participants	39 years STANDARD_DEVIATION 24 • n=7 Participants	38 years STANDARD_DEVIATION 25 • n=5 Participants
Sex: Female, Male Female	3149 Participants n=5 Participants	880 Participants n=7 Participants	4029 Participants n=5 Participants
Sex: Female, Male Male	3225 Participants n=5 Participants	904 Participants n=7 Participants	4129 Participants n=5 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB) American Indian or Alaska Native	0 Participants n=5 Participants	0 Participants n=7 Participants	0 Participants n=5 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB) Asian	0 Participants n=5 Participants	0 Participants n=7 Participants	0 Participants n=5 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB) Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander	0 Participants n=5 Participants	0 Participants n=7 Participants	0 Participants n=5 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB) Black or African American	0 Participants n=5 Participants	0 Participants n=7 Participants	0 Participants n=5 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB) White	0 Participants n=5 Participants	0 Participants n=7 Participants	0 Participants n=5 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB) More than one race	0 Participants n=5 Participants	0 Participants n=7 Participants	0 Participants n=5 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB) Unknown or Not Reported	6374 Participants n=5 Participants	1784 Participants n=7 Participants	8158 Participants n=5 Participants

PRIMARY outcome

Timeframe: Patient flow will be followed for 24 hours after presentation at the ED

Population: See main paper for more details.

The difference between intervention and control period will be calculated. Treatment at the GPC means having a record at the GPC.

Outcome measures

Measure	Triage With Referral to Primary Care n=6294 Participants Triage and referral according to eMTS. Triage with referral to primary care: During intervention weekends(and holidays) a nurse will triage patients using a newly developped extended Manchester Triage System (eMTS). Patients appropriate for primary care will be referred to the general practitioner on call.We will inform patients about the nature of the intervention using leaflets and broadcasting in the waiting room of the Emergency Department.	Triage Without Referral to Primary Care n=1744 Participants Weekends with usual care Usual care: During a control weekend (and holidays), all data registration and collection will be the same as during intervention weekends but patents will not be informed about their allocation advice. The emergency physician will see all patients deciding to stay at the ED, without influence of the triage advice. As in standard clinical care, patients will have the right to change their mind and go spontaneously to the general practitioner. . During control weekends, we will only inform about triage in general but no about the general practioner or the intervention.
The Proportion of Patients Presenting at the ED But Being Treated by the GPC After Referral	599 Participants	0 Participants

Adverse Events

Triage With Referral to Primary Care

Serious events: 1 serious events

Other events: 0 other events

Deaths: 1 deaths

Triage Without Referral to Primary Care

Serious events: 0 serious events

Other events: 0 other events

Deaths: 0 deaths

Serious adverse events

Measure	Triage With Referral to Primary Care n=6294 participants at risk Triage and referral according to eMTS. Triage with referral to primary care: During intervention weekends(and holidays) a nurse will triage patients using a newly developped extended Manchester Triage System (eMTS). Patients appropriate for primary care will be referred to the general practitioner on call.We will inform patients about the nature of the intervention using leaflets and broadcasting in the waiting room of the Emergency Department.	Triage Without Referral to Primary Care n=1744 participants at risk Weekends with usual care Usual care: During a control weekend (and holidays), all data registration and collection will be the same as during intervention weekends but patents will not be informed about their allocation advice. The emergency physician will see all patients deciding to stay at the ED, without influence of the triage advice. As in standard clinical care, patients will have the right to change their mind and go spontaneously to the general practitioner. . During control weekends, we will only inform about triage in general but no about the general practioner or the intervention.
Blood and lymphatic system disorders Ruptured Abdominal Aortic Artery	0.02% 1/6294 • Number of events 1 • For the individual patient: only during their stay at the emergency department or general practice cooperative. Due to the nature of the intervention, no systematic system for adverse events was used. See main paper for what was used in practice.	0.00% 0/1744 • For the individual patient: only during their stay at the emergency department or general practice cooperative. Due to the nature of the intervention, no systematic system for adverse events was used. See main paper for what was used in practice.

Other adverse events

Adverse event data not reported

Additional Information

Stefan Morreel

UAntwerpen

Phone: 003232658721

Email: stefan.morreel@uantwerpen.be

Results disclosure agreements

• Principal investigator is a sponsor employee
• Publication restrictions are in place