Exploring the views of low-acuity emergency department consulters on an educational intervention and general practitioner appointment service: a qualitative study in Berlin, Germany
Objectives Low-acuity patients presenting to emergency departments (EDs) frequently have unmet ambulatory care needs. This qualitative study explores the patients’ views of an intervention aimed at education about care options and promoting primary care (PC) attachment.Design Qualitative telephone i...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMJ Publishing Group
2023-04-01
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| Series: | BMJ Open |
| Online Access: | https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/13/4/e070054.full |
| _version_ | 1797842508353372160 |
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| author | Martin Möckel Sarah Oslislo Christoph Heintze Felix Holzinger Lisa Kümpel Rebecca Resendiz Cantu |
| author_facet | Martin Möckel Sarah Oslislo Christoph Heintze Felix Holzinger Lisa Kümpel Rebecca Resendiz Cantu |
| author_sort | Martin Möckel |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Objectives Low-acuity patients presenting to emergency departments (EDs) frequently have unmet ambulatory care needs. This qualitative study explores the patients’ views of an intervention aimed at education about care options and promoting primary care (PC) attachment.Design Qualitative telephone interviews were conducted with a subsample of participants of an interventional pilot study, based on a semi-structured interview guide. The data were analysed through qualitative content analysis.Setting The study was carried out in three EDs in the city centre of Berlin, Germany.Participants Thirty-two low-acuity ED consulters with no connection to a general practitioner (GP) who had participated in the pilot study were interviewed; (f/m: 15/17; mean age: 32.9 years).Intervention In the pilot intervention, ED patients with low-acuity complaints were provided with an information leaflet on appropriate ED usage and alternative care paths and they were offered an optional GP appointment scheduling service. Qualitative interviews explored the views of a subsample of the participants on the intervention.Results Interviewees perceived both parts of the intervention as valuable. Receiving a leaflet about appropriate ED use and alternatives to the ED was viewed as helpful, with participants expressing the desire for additional online information and a wider distribution of the content. The GP appointment service was positively assessed by the participants who had made use of this offer and seen as potentially helpful in establishing a long-term connection to GP care. The majority of patients declining a scheduled GP appointment expected no personal need for further medical care in the near future or preferred to choose a GP independently.Conclusions Low-acuity ED patients seem receptive to information on alternative acute care options and prevailingly appreciate measures to encourage and facilitate attachment to a GP. Promoting PC integration could contribute to a change in future usage behaviour.Trial registration number DRKS00023480. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-09T16:49:04Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-65844965a6fb49e5b4c70b28db054017 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2044-6055 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-09T16:49:04Z |
| publishDate | 2023-04-01 |
| publisher | BMJ Publishing Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMJ Open |
| spelling | doaj.art-65844965a6fb49e5b4c70b28db0540172023-04-22T02:00:06ZengBMJ Publishing GroupBMJ Open2044-60552023-04-0113410.1136/bmjopen-2022-070054Exploring the views of low-acuity emergency department consulters on an educational intervention and general practitioner appointment service: a qualitative study in Berlin, GermanyMartin Möckel0Sarah Oslislo1Christoph Heintze2Felix Holzinger3Lisa Kümpel4Rebecca Resendiz Cantu5Department of Emergency Medicine, Charité University Medicine Berlin, Berlin, GermanyCharité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Institute of General Practice, Berlin, GermanyInsitute of General Practice, Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, GermanyCharité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Institute of General Practice, Berlin, GermanyCharité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Institute of General Practice, Charitéplatz 1, Berlin, GermanyCharité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Division of Emergency Medicine, Campus Virchow-Klinikum and Campus Charité Mitte, Augustenburger Platz 1, Berlin, GermanyObjectives Low-acuity patients presenting to emergency departments (EDs) frequently have unmet ambulatory care needs. This qualitative study explores the patients’ views of an intervention aimed at education about care options and promoting primary care (PC) attachment.Design Qualitative telephone interviews were conducted with a subsample of participants of an interventional pilot study, based on a semi-structured interview guide. The data were analysed through qualitative content analysis.Setting The study was carried out in three EDs in the city centre of Berlin, Germany.Participants Thirty-two low-acuity ED consulters with no connection to a general practitioner (GP) who had participated in the pilot study were interviewed; (f/m: 15/17; mean age: 32.9 years).Intervention In the pilot intervention, ED patients with low-acuity complaints were provided with an information leaflet on appropriate ED usage and alternative care paths and they were offered an optional GP appointment scheduling service. Qualitative interviews explored the views of a subsample of the participants on the intervention.Results Interviewees perceived both parts of the intervention as valuable. Receiving a leaflet about appropriate ED use and alternatives to the ED was viewed as helpful, with participants expressing the desire for additional online information and a wider distribution of the content. The GP appointment service was positively assessed by the participants who had made use of this offer and seen as potentially helpful in establishing a long-term connection to GP care. The majority of patients declining a scheduled GP appointment expected no personal need for further medical care in the near future or preferred to choose a GP independently.Conclusions Low-acuity ED patients seem receptive to information on alternative acute care options and prevailingly appreciate measures to encourage and facilitate attachment to a GP. Promoting PC integration could contribute to a change in future usage behaviour.Trial registration number DRKS00023480.https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/13/4/e070054.full |
| spellingShingle | Martin Möckel Sarah Oslislo Christoph Heintze Felix Holzinger Lisa Kümpel Rebecca Resendiz Cantu Exploring the views of low-acuity emergency department consulters on an educational intervention and general practitioner appointment service: a qualitative study in Berlin, Germany BMJ Open |
| title | Exploring the views of low-acuity emergency department consulters on an educational intervention and general practitioner appointment service: a qualitative study in Berlin, Germany |
| title_full | Exploring the views of low-acuity emergency department consulters on an educational intervention and general practitioner appointment service: a qualitative study in Berlin, Germany |
| title_fullStr | Exploring the views of low-acuity emergency department consulters on an educational intervention and general practitioner appointment service: a qualitative study in Berlin, Germany |
| title_full_unstemmed | Exploring the views of low-acuity emergency department consulters on an educational intervention and general practitioner appointment service: a qualitative study in Berlin, Germany |
| title_short | Exploring the views of low-acuity emergency department consulters on an educational intervention and general practitioner appointment service: a qualitative study in Berlin, Germany |
| title_sort | exploring the views of low acuity emergency department consulters on an educational intervention and general practitioner appointment service a qualitative study in berlin germany |
| url | https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/13/4/e070054.full |
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