1st author (year) Country [ref] | Follow-up outcomes | Results |
---|---|---|
Anderson (2002) Denmark [32] | • Patient outcome – hospitalization • Patient outcome – recurrent symptoms | • 76/968 (7.9%) patients have secondary blood glucose regulatory problems <72 h  ◦ 46/76 (60.5%) have a recurrent hypoglycaemia, 33/46 (71.7%) of these cases occur <24-72 h • 49/968 (5.1%) are hospitalized <72 h  ◦ 21/49 (42.9%) have a recurrent hypoglycaemia of which 12/21 (57.1%) are hospitalized <24-72 h |
Burstein (1996) USA [56] | • Repeat access general healthcare – GP • Repeat access emergency healthcare – EMS (call or EMS run) • Repeat access emergency healthcare – ED | • 199/321 (62.0%) patients who had follow-up.  ◦ 95/199 (47.7%) patients sought additional medical care <1 week.   ▪ 51/95 (53.7%) went to the ED: 7 through EMS, 41 referred themselves to the ED and 3 were referred by their physician.   ▪ 44/95 (46.3%) were seen by their physician. |
Burstein (1998) USA [57] | • Repeat access general healthcare – GP • Repeat access emergency healthcare – ED • Patient outcome – mortality • Patient outcome – hospitalization | • 66/69 (95.7%) patients could be contacted through follow-up <2–3 days  ◦ 33/66 (50.0%) patients saw their own physicians  ◦ 17/66 (25.8%) went to an ED on their own  ◦ 8/66 (12.1%) were admitted to the hospital  ◦ 4/66 (6.1%) died |
Cain (2003 USA [58] | • Repeat access emergency healthcare – EMS (call or EMS run) | 40/145 (27.6%) patients had signs and symptoms compatible with low blood sugar occurring <10 months after initial event and requiring a repeat EMS call: • 2/24 (8.3%) patients >65 years • 38/121 (31.4%) patients <65 years 3/145 (2.1%) patients had signs and symptoms compatible with low blood sugar occurring <48 h after initial event and requiring a repeat EMS call: • 0/24 (0.0%) patients >65 years • 3/121 (2.5%) patients <65 years • No significant differences in repeat (p = .43) any time during the ten-month study period, recurrences (p = .33) <48 h and interval for repeat episodes (p = .60) between conveyed and non-conveyed patient calls. |
Carter (2002) Canada [59] | • Patient outcome – recurrent symptoms | Repeated access to healthcare <21 days: • 6/41 (14.6%) patients for all complaints • 2/41 (4.9%) patients for the same complaint |
Cone (1995) USA [8] | • Repeat access general healthcare – GP • Repeat access emergency healthcare – ED • Patient outcome – hospitalization | 54/81 (67%) had follow-up: • 37/54 (68.5%) sought no medical care • 10/54 (18.5%) were evaluated in the ED: 3 were discharged, 7 were admitted: 3 were admitted to monitored beds and 4 were admitted to unmonitored beds • 7/54 (13.0%) saw their own physician <48 h after refusal |
Haines (2006) USA [62] | • Repeat access general healthcare – GP • Repeat access emergency healthcare – ED • Patient outcome – hospitalization | 527/704 (74.8%) completed phone follow-up: • 13/527 (2.5%) non-transport group hospitalized • 279/527 (52.9%) patients had follow-up-care <72 h (median 2.5 h, inter-quartile range 1.5–13 h)  ◦ 203/279 (72.6%) patients had follow-up-care <12 h  ◦ 148/279 (65.9%) patients came to ED  ◦ 95/279 (34.1%) patients came via primary care physician  ◦ 19/279 (6.8%) patients were evaluated by a medical provider more than once in 72 h |
Højfeld (2014) Denmark [34] | • Repeat access emergency healthcare – ED • Patient outcome – mortality • Patient outcome – hospitalization | 113/1609 (7.0%) patients had renewed treatment in hospital or ED <24 h  ◦ 58/113 (51.3%) had to be admitted  ◦ 51/113 (45.1%) visited the ED  ◦ 4/113 (3.5%) died |
Jensen (2013) Canada [64] | • Repeat access emergency healthcare – EMS (call or EMS run) | 6/238 (2.5%) patients who received extended paramedic care but who were not transported subsequently triggered a EMS call <48 h |
Kahalé (2006) Canada [65] | • Repeat access general healthcare – GP • Repeat access general healthcare – walk-in clinic • Repeat access emergency healthcare – ED | 51/345 (14.8%) non-transported children were seen at the ED <48 h Telephone follow-up with patients (n = 106) about additional care <48 h: • 51/106 (48.1%) patients did not seek medical follow-up • 28/106 (26.4%) patients went to the ED • 22/106 (20.8%) patients visited the family physician/paediatrician office • 4/106 (3.8%) patients visited a walk-in clinic • 1/106 (0.9%) patients went to a hospital/outpatient clinic |
Knight (2003) USA [37] | • Repeat access emergency healthcare – ED • Repeat access emergency healthcare – EMS (call or EMS run) • Patient outcome – mortality • Patient outcome – hospitalization | 3454/26574 (13.0%) follow-up was obtained <1 week: • 174/3454 (5.0%) patients were admitted to the hospital • 25/3454 (0.7%) patients died • 465/3454 (13.5%) patient had an EMS dispatch  ◦ < 3 years: 8/465 (1.7%)  ◦ 3–12 years: 14/465 (3.0%)  ◦ 13–17 years: 24/465 (5.2%)  ◦ 18–64 years: 301/465 (64.7%)  ◦ ≥ 65 years: 118/465 (25.4%) • 2790/3454 (80.1%) of the patients had an ED visit  ◦ < 3 years: 133/3454 (3.9%)  ◦ 3–12 years: 175/3454 (5.1%)  ◦ 13–17 years: 223/3454 (6.5%)  ◦ 18–64 years: 2041/3454 (59.1%)  ◦ ≥ 65 years: 218/3454 (6.3%) • 174/3454 (5.0%) of the patients were admitted  ◦ < 3 years: 12/174 (6.9%)  ◦ 3–12 years: 13/174 (7.5%)  ◦ 13–17 years: 7/174 (4.0%)  ◦ 18–64 years: 97/174 (55.7%)  ◦ ≥ 65 years: 45/174 (25.9%) |
Lerner (2003) USA [66] | • Repeat access general healthcare – GP • Repeat access emergency healthcare – ED | 20/36 (55.6%) sought further medical assistance <48 h: • 11/20 (55.0%) called their personal physician • 8/20 (40.0%) visited their personal physician • 1/20 (5.0%) went to the ED |
Magnusson (2016) Sweden [38] | • Repeat access general healthcare – GP • Repeat access emergency healthcare – ED • Patient outcome – hospitalization | 38/200 (19.0%) patients visited the ED <72 h: • 24/38 (63.2%) self to ED ◦ 12/24 (50.0%) admitted • 14/38 (36.8%) referred by GP ◦ 8/14 (57.1%) admitted |
Mechem (1998) USA [67] | • Repeat access general healthcare – GP • Repeat access emergency healthcare – ED • Repeat access emergency healthcare – EMS (call or EMS run) • Patient outcome – hospitalization | 94/103 (91.3%) patients had no recurrence of symptoms in <72 h: • 7/94 (7.4%) contacted private physician 9/103 (8.7%) recontacted the EMS < 72 h: • 5/9 (55.6%) transported and released from ED • 3/9 (33.3%) transported and admitted • 1/9 (11.1%) refused transport |
Mikolaizak (2013) Australia [26] | • Repeat access general healthcare – GP • Repeat access general healthcare – walk-in clinic • Repeat access emergency healthcare – ED • Repeat access emergency healthcare – EMS (call or EMS run) • Patient outcome – mortality • Patient outcome – hospitalization | Follow-up periods varied from 1 to 12 months. Outcomes: 12%–49% readmission in ambulance or other health service facility, non-transported patients have significantly higher risk of death compared to age matched peers |
Minhas (2015) Canada [39] | • Repeat access emergency healthcare – EMS (call or EMS run) | 1/76 (1.3%) of the patients treated and released had 14 representations <72 h |
Moss (1998) USA [40] | • Repeat access emergency healthcare – ED • Repeat access emergency healthcare – EMS (call or EMS run) • Patient outcome – mortality • Patient outcome – hospitalization | 431/443 (97.3%) patients a follow-up was obtained: • 10/431 (2.3%) called EMS again <48 h  ◦ 4/10 (40.0%) were admitted to a hospital  ◦ 4/10 (40.0%) were discharged from the ED  ◦ 1/10 (10.0%) died  ◦ 1/10 (10.0%) was transferred to another facility |
Persse (2002) USA [69] | • Patient outcome – hospitalization | Phase 1: 151/254 (59.5%) patients were contacted by telephone:  • 56/151 (37.1%) sought further medical help <24 h  • 19/151 (12.6%) were hospitalized Phase 2: 109/198 (55.1%) patients were contacted by telephone:  • 37/109 (33.9%) sought further medical help <24 h  • 7/109 (6.4%) were hospitalized |
Pringle (2005) USA [43] | • Patient outcome – mortality • Patient outcome – hospitalization | 310/906 (34.2%) follow-up was obtained (1 week):  • 172/310 (55.5%) patients sought medical care:   ◦ 106/172 (61.6%) medical care was changed  • 25/310 (8.1%) were admitted to a hospital  • 1/310 (0.3%) patients died |
Rudolph (2011) Denmark [44] | • Patient outcome – mortality | 18/2241 (0.8%) patients released on scene died <48 h |
Schmidt (2006) USA [45] | • Patient outcome – mortality | 2/128 (1.6%) patients not-transported died <30 days |
Snooks (2004a) UK [28] | • Patient outcome – hospitalization | Intervention group: 5/93 (5.4%) patients were admitted to a hospital <14 days Control group: 12/195 (6.2%) patients were admitted to a hospital <14 days |
Socransky (1998) USA [48] | • Repeat access emergency healthcare – ED • Patient outcome – hospitalization • Patient outcome – recurrent symptoms | 25/412 (6.1%) of the patients who refused transport had a relapse <48 h:  • 14/25 (56.0%) refused transport again  • 6/25 (24.0%) admitted to the ED  • 5/25 (20.0%) were admitted to a hospital |
Staudenmayer (2011) USA [50] | • Repeat access emergency healthcare – ED • Patient outcome – hospitalization • Patient outcome – mortality | 1715/5865 (29.2%) follow-up obtained:  • 1616/1715 (94.2%) patients were seen in the ED and discharged  • 92/1715 (5.4%) were admitted to the hospital  • 7/1715 (0.4%) died |
Strote (2008) USA [75] | • Repeat access general healthcare – GP • Repeat access emergency healthcare – ED • Patient outcome – hospitalization | 203/402 (49.5%) follow-up obtained:  • 111/203 (54.7%) patients contacted their primary care physician <24 h  • 8/203 (3.9%) patients called the EMS again <48 h  • 16/203 (7.9%) patients went to the hospital <48 h |
Tiedemann (2013) UK [76] | • Patient outcome – recurrent symptoms | 62/251 (24.7%) of the non-transported patients required ≥1 fall related repeat ambulance attendance <6 months |
Tohira (2016b) Australia [52] | • Repeat access emergency healthcare – ED • Repeat access emergency healthcare – EMS (call or EMS run) • Patient outcome – mortality • Patient outcome – hospitalization | Subsequent events after discharge at the scene, Unadj OR (95% CI) ∗ Adj OR (95% CI)∗ Ambulance request • Within 1 day 672/11096 (6.1%) 3.5 (3.1–4.0) 3.4 (3.0–3.9) • Within 3 days 995/11096 (9.0%) 2.3 (2.1–2.5) 2.1 (1.9–2.4) • Within 7 days 1305/11096 (11.8%) 1.9 (1.7–2.0) 1.7 (1.6–1.9) ED attendance • Within 1 day 514/11096 (4.6%) 3.4 (3.0–3.9) 3.3 (2.8–3.8) • Within 3 days 710/11096 (6.4%) 2.0 (1.8–2.2) 1.9 (1.7–2.2) • Within 7 days 898/11096 (8.1%) 1.5 (1.4–1.6) 1.4 (1.2–1.5) Hospitalisation • Within 1 day 361/11096 (3.3%) 4.1 (3.5–4.9) 4.2 (3.4–5.1) • Within 3 days 500/11096 (4.5%) 2.5 (2.2–2.9) 2.3 (2.0–2.7) • Within 7 days 634/11096 (5.7%) 2.0 (1.8–2.2) 1.8 (1.6–2.0) Death • Within 1 day 19/11096 (0.2%) 1.6 (0.9–2.8) 1.8 (0.99–3.2) • Within 3 days 32/11096 (0.3%) 1.7 (1.1–2.6) 1.9 (1.2–3.0) • Within 7 days 56/11096 (0.5%) 1.6 (1.2–2.3) 1.8 (1.3–2.5) ∗ vs. ED-discharge |
Van der Pols (2011) The Netherlands [77] | • Repeat access general healthcare – GP | Motorcycle response vehicles with one ambulance nurse with additional training (n = 468) compared to regular ambulance (n = 1196):  • referral to GP 138/468 (29.5%) vs 167/1196 (14.0%) RR 2.11 (95%CI 1.73–2.58) |
Vilke (2002) USA [78] | • Repeat access general healthcare – GP • Repeat access general healthcare – walk-in clinic • Repeat access emergency healthcare – ED • Repeat access emergency healthcare – EMS (call or EMS run) | 71/121 (58.7%) follow-up was obtained:  • 27/71 (38.0%) visited family physician  • 25/71 (35.2) visited urgent care facility  • 9/71 (12.7%) second EMS call and transported to ED  • 9/71 (12.7%) transport to ED by private vehicle  • 1/71 (1.4%) second EMS call and treated at scene |
Zachariah (1992) USA [55] | • Repeat access general healthcare – GP • Patient outcome – hospitalization | 93/158 (58.9%) follow-up was obtained:  • 60/93 (64.5%) sought care from a physician:   ◦ 15/60 (25.0%) were admitted to hospital. |