Cochrane · systematic review · CD002097
Primary care professionals providing non‐urgent care in hospital emergency departments
Gonçalves‐Bradley, D, Khangura, JK, Flodgren, G, et al. · Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews · 2018 · Cochrane Library
SoF tableOnly the outcomes this review put in its Summary of Findings table are listed (the Cochrane Handbook caps them at about seven per comparison). Its other analyses are not shown here.
Questions
8
current version
GRADE rated
7
No studies
1
Included studies
NR
No studies 1 · 12.5%Ungraded 0 · 0%Very low 7 · 87.5%Low 0 · 0%Moderate 0 · 0%High 0 · 0%
Ungraded means an effect was reported without a GRADE rating; it is not a gap. No studies means the review found nothing to answer the question. The six categories are a display order, not a score.
Questions and results
Current version onlyPrimary care professionals compared with ordinary emergency department physicians for patients with minor injuries and illnesses who attend hospital emergency departments
Population: patients with minor injuries and illnesses
| Outcome | Effect | Evidence | Status / GRADE |
|---|---|---|---|
Time from arrival to clinical assessment and treatment Primary care professionals vs ordinary emergency department physicians | MD 2.1 | 1 study · 260 participants | Very low Downgraded: risk of bias, imprecision, inconsistency, indirectness |
Total length of ED stay Primary care professionals vs ordinary emergency department physicians | no estimate extracted | 1 study · 260 participants | Very low Downgraded: risk of bias, imprecision, inconsistency, indirectness |
Admission to hospital Primary care professionals vs ordinary emergency department physicians | no estimate extracted | 3 studies · 11203 participants | Very low Downgraded: risk of bias, imprecision, inconsistency |
Diagnostic tests Primary care professionals vs ordinary emergency department physicians | no estimate extracted | 3 studies · 11203 participants | Very low Downgraded: risk of bias, inconsistency, indirectness |
Treatments given Primary care professionals vs ordinary emergency department physicians | no estimate extracted | 3 studies · 11203 participants | Very low Downgraded: risk of bias, inconsistency, indirectness |
Consultations or referrals to hospital‐based specialists Primary care professionals vs ordinary emergency department physicians | no estimate extracted | 3 studies · 11203 participants | Very low Downgraded: risk of bias, imprecision, inconsistency |
Costs Primary care professionals vs ordinary emergency department physicians | no estimate extracted | 2 studies · 9325 participants | Very low Downgraded: risk of bias, imprecision, inconsistency, indirectness |
Adverse events Primary care professionals vs ordinary emergency department physicians | no estimate extracted | NR | No studies |
Comparison
Population: patients with minor injuries and illnesses
| Outcome | Effect | Evidence | Status / GRADE |
|---|---|---|---|
Blood investigations Percent of patients for whom any blood investigation was ordered | no estimate extracted | 3 studies · 11203 participants | Very low |
Any x‐ray Percent of patients for whom any x‐ray was ordered | no estimate extracted | 3 studies · 11203 participants | Very low |
Any prescription Precent of patients given medication or prescription | no estimate extracted | 3 studies · 11203 participants | Very low |
Admissions Percent of patients admitted to hospital from ED | no estimate extracted | 3 studies · 11203 participants | Very low |
Referrals Percent of patients referred to consultants4 | no estimate extracted | 3 studies · 11203 participants | Very low |
Time from waiting room to clinical assessment ‐ not reported | no estimate extracted | NR | No studies |
Length of Stay ‐ not reported | no estimate extracted | NR | No studies |