EPICS-8: Reasons for Emergency Department Utilization by Patients With Non-urgent Conditions

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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EPICS-8: Reasons for Emergency Department utilization by patients with non-urgent conditions: Emergency Departments (EDs) are an important interface between primary and secondary health care sectors in Germany. The number of outpatient visits in the ED´s is still increasing. The reasons for ED utilization by patients with non-urgent conditions are nearly unknown in Germany and will be investigated in this project.

Detailed Description
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EPICS-8: Reasons for Emergency Department utilization by patients with non-urgent conditions: Emergency Departments (EDs) are an important interface between primary and the secondary health care system in Germany. The number of outpatient visits in the ED´s is still increasing. The reasons for ED utilization by patients with non-urgent conditions are nearly unknown in Germany and will be explored in this project. EPICS-8 is a pilot study to establish a research structure for the linkage of ED-data with data of the primary health care sector. Data linkage will be conducted for patients with the Manchester Triage System categories blue, green and yellow. A secondary aim of the EPICS-8 study is to develop a valid questionnaire for the assessment of reasons for ED utilization by non-urgent patients. Primary objective: Establishing of a research structure for the linkage of inhospital-data with data from the primary health care System. Records of 5,000 patients who attended one of the two EDs at the Charité University Medicine Berlin will be linked to Primary health care data. Secondary objectives: Development and testing of a questionaire for the identification of reasons for emergency department utilization by patients with non-urgent conditions (n=100) Characterization and quantification of non-urgent emergencies Explorative analysis of patient pathways and influencing factors for ED-visits with non-urgent conditions.

Official Title
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Emergency Processes in Clinical Structures - EPICS-8: Gründe für Die Inanspruchnahme Der Notaufnahme Durch Patienten Mit Blauer, grüner Oder Gelber Triagekategorie Und Ambulantem Behandlungsbedarf

Conditions
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Non-urgent Emergencies

Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Eligibility criteria for record linkage: Age>= 18 years Outpatients MTS-Triage category blue, green or yellow Treatment in one of the two participating EDs Eligibility criteria for questionnaire pretest: Inclusion Criteria: Age>= 18 years Outpatients MTS-Triage category blue, green or yellow Treatment in one of the two participating EDs Eligibility to understand the study purposes and give written informed consent Exclusion Criteria: Dementia no sufficient German language skills patients with legal representatives

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 18 Years
Maximum Age: 115 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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No

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Non-urgent emergencies<br>Outpatients in the Emergency Department with the MTS-Triage category blue, green or yellow | |

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Number of patients with linkable records | The Primary outcome will be the proportion of patients with successful record linkage. | 05/2016 - 05/2018 | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Valid Questionnaire | A patients questionnaire for the assessment of Emergency Department utilization by non-urgent patients will be developed. The outcome of this work package will be a valid patient questionnaire. | 05/2016 - 05/2017 | 
| Demographic characteristics of non-urgent ED patients | Descriptive analysis of demographic characteristics of ED patients with non-urgent conditions | During the study period | 
| Clinical characteristics of non-urgent ED patients | Descriptive analysis of clinical characteristics of ED patients with non-urgent conditions | During the study period | 
| Patient pathways for ED-Visits | Explorative analysis of patient pathways for ED-visits with non-urgent conditions | 10/2017 - 05/2018 | 
| Influencing factors for ED-Visits | Explorative analysis of influencing factors for ED-visits with non-urgent conditions | 10/2017 - 05/2018 |