Impact of Expert Systems on Call Duration and Triage Decisions in Out of Hours Care
Author Information
Author(s): Ong Rob SG, Post Johan, van Rooij Harry, de Haan Jan
Primary Institution: Cluster Zorg en Welzijn, Hogeschool Leiden, The Netherlands
Hypothesis
Is there a difference between call duration of a cooperative using an expert system and one not using it?
Conclusion
The differences in call times between a cooperative using an expert system and a cooperative not using an expert system are small.
Supporting Evidence
- The mean call time in the cooperative using the expert system is 4.6 minutes, while in the cooperative not using it, it is 3.9 minutes.
- A significant difference of 0.7 minutes was found between the two cooperatives.
- In the cooperative with an expert system, a larger percentage of patients is handled by the assistant.
Takeaway
This study looked at how long calls take and how decisions are made in two medical cooperatives, one using a computer system and one not. It found that the difference in call times is small.
Methodology
Data concerning call duration and triage decisions were collected from two cooperatives, one using an expert system and one not, and compared using statistical tests.
Potential Biases
The study may be influenced by the different organizational processes in the two cooperatives.
Limitations
The study only compared two cooperatives, which may not provide a comprehensive view of the impact of expert systems.
Participant Demographics
The study involved two cooperatives in the Netherlands, one in Tilburg and one in Groningen, serving populations of 250,000 and 170,000 respectively.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.05
Confidence Interval
0.4 – 1.0
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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