Patient Survey of Out-of-Hours Care by Emergency Care Practitioners
Author Information
Author(s): Halter Mary, Marlow Tom, Mohammed Daryl, Ellison George TH
Primary Institution: Kingston University and St George's, University of London
Hypothesis
The study aims to evaluate the care provided to patients receiving out-of-hours home visits from Emergency Care Practitioners (ECPs) in London from the patients' perspective.
Conclusion
Most patients treated at home by ECPs appeared satisfied with the care provided, but a significant minority were unclear about their assessments, which may have affected their health outcomes.
Supporting Evidence
- 86.4% of patients reported being clear about their ECP's assessment.
- 58.0% of patients reported that their health was now 'better'.
- Only 1 patient out of 60 felt that their treatment was not 'right'.
- Patients unclear about their assessment were more likely to seek hospital care.
Takeaway
Patients generally liked the care they got from emergency helpers who visited them at home, but some didn't understand what their helpers said, which might have made them feel worse later.
Methodology
A telephone-administered questionnaire was used to survey patients who received out-of-hours care from ECPs over a ten-week period.
Potential Biases
Potential bias due to self-reported data and the exclusion of patients with dementia.
Limitations
The sample was modest and skewed towards older females, and the study relied on self-reported outcomes.
Participant Demographics
Most respondents were female (67.9%) and aged 60 or above (59.3%).
Statistical Information
P-Value
0.03
Statistical Significance
p = 0.03
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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