Feasibility and evaluation of an emergency department-based GP streaming and treatment service

Abstract

RATIONALE: Offering a primary care service that can provide good quality primary care at emergency departments may reduce pressure on usual ED services.  AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: To evaluate acceptability, satisfaction and potential impacts of a co-located primary care service at an emergency department. METHODS: This is a prospective feasibility study and service evaluation comprising narrative summary of activity, satisfaction, wellbeing and safety, comparisons of wait times for ED services by patient category (‘minors’, ‘majors’, ‘paediatric’ or ‘resus’) before and during the service operation. Patients and staff were asked using semi-structured interview topic guides about service perception, well-being, re-presentation within 48 hours, safety concerns and/or satisfaction. Wait times for patient categories in usual ED care service were in secondary care electronic records. Pathway changes were captured under primary care electronic records. RESULTS: Approximately 96% of GPST patients were seen within one hour. There was a statistically significant reduction in ED patients with minor injuries or illnesses waiting > 4 hours for admission or discharge ‘breaches’ during the 3 months that GPST was operating compared to the previous 3 months (p=<0.005). Wait times for other ED services did not significantly improve. 769 walk-in patients received GPST consultation and 661 (86%) needed no further ED intervention. Fast discharge was a major determinant of patient satisfaction. No staff expressed dissatisfaction, but some suggested possible improvements in eligibility criteria and built environment design features. CONCLUSION: Provision of GPST correlated with shorter waits for discharge from ED. Patient and staff experiences of GPST were positive