Related Experiment Videos
[Referrals to an emergency unit before and after changes in the practitioner-on-call system]
S W Rasmussen1, H Thomsen, P Jensen
1Centralsygehuset i Naestved, ortopaedkirurgisk afdeling.
Ugeskrift for Laeger
|August 29, 1994
Summary
Changes to the practitioner-on-call system did not alter casualty department attendance patterns at Central Hospital. Patient numbers and medical specialities remained consistent before and after the reorganization.
Area of Science:
- Emergency Medicine
- Healthcare Management
Context:
- Investigated the impact of changes in the practitioner-on-call system on casualty department attendance.
- Focused on Central Hospital in Naestved, Denmark.
- Compared attendance data from two similar periods before and after the system changes.
Purpose:
- To determine if reorganizing the general practice on-call system affected patient attendance at the casualty department.
- To analyze changes in patient volume and medical specialities presenting at the emergency department.
Summary:
- A total of 4454 attendances were analyzed (2330 before, 2123 after).
- Orthopaedic and medical patient numbers showed no significant change post-reorganization.
- Hospital admission rates also remained stable, indicating no shift in patient flow.
Impact:
- The study suggests that reorganizing general practice on-call systems may not significantly alter emergency department attendance patterns.
- Provides data for healthcare administrators evaluating the impact of operational changes on hospital services.
- Highlights the stability of patient presentation in emergency departments despite modifications in primary care access.