Telephone consultations with otolaryngology – head and neck surgery reduced emergency visits and specialty consultations in northern Alberta
Abstract Background RAAPID (Referral, Access, Advice, Placement, Information, and Destination) is a 24-h call center in Alberta, Canada, facilitating urgent telephone consultations between physicians and specialists. We evaluated the extent to which RAAPID calls to Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surge...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
SAGE Publishing
2020-06-01
|
| Series: | Journal of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery |
| Online Access: | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s40463-020-00439-0 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1832568873508929536 |
|---|---|
| author | Peter George Jaminal Tian Dean Eurich Hadi Seikaly Douglas Boisvert John Montpetit Jeffrey Harris |
| author_facet | Peter George Jaminal Tian Dean Eurich Hadi Seikaly Douglas Boisvert John Montpetit Jeffrey Harris |
| author_sort | Peter George Jaminal Tian |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background RAAPID (Referral, Access, Advice, Placement, Information, and Destination) is a 24-h call center in Alberta, Canada, facilitating urgent telephone consultations between physicians and specialists. We evaluated the extent to which RAAPID calls to Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery (OHNS) reduced visits to the emergency department and specialty clinics. Methods This was a cross-sectional study evaluating all telephone consultations to OHNS from physicians in northern Alberta between 2013 and 2014 (T1) (where consultations by residents occurred) and 2015 to 2017 (T2) (where consultations were done by consultants during office hours and residents during after hours). Outcomes of the calls included medical advice, specialty clinic referrals, and emergency department (ED) referrals. Differences in the reduction of ED visits and costs, overall as well as in T1 and T2, were assessed using multivariate logistic regression. Results Overall, 62.3% (1064/1709) of telephone consultations reduced ED visits consisting of advice being provided (n = 884; 83.1%) and referral to specialty clinics (n = 180; 16.9%). The adjusted odds ratio of calls reducing emergency visits in T2 as compared to T1 was 2.47 (95% CI 1.99 to 3.08). The adjusted odds ratio of reducing ED visits during office hours compared to after-hours 2.54 (95% CI 1.77–3.64). The estimated direct costs avoided from ED visits in T1 and T2 were $42,224.22 and $114,393.86, respectively. Conclusion RAAPID telephone consultations to OHNS were effective in reducing ED visits and healthcare costs. This model should be considered in other areas to improve efficiencies within the health system. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-cec904f4252345eb8557e5aac7b76cca |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1916-0216 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2020-06-01 |
| publisher | SAGE Publishing |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery |
| spelling | doaj-art-cec904f4252345eb8557e5aac7b76cca2025-02-03T00:22:58ZengSAGE PublishingJournal of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery1916-02162020-06-014911810.1186/s40463-020-00439-0Telephone consultations with otolaryngology – head and neck surgery reduced emergency visits and specialty consultations in northern AlbertaPeter George Jaminal Tian0Dean Eurich1Hadi Seikaly2Douglas Boisvert3John Montpetit4Jeffrey Harris5Department of Family Medicine, University of AlbertaSchool of Public Health, University of AlbertaDivision of Otolaryngology, Department of Surgery, University of AlbertaRAAPID North, Alberta Health ServicesPoison and Drug Information Service and RAAPID, Alberta Health ServicesDivision of Otolaryngology, Department of Surgery, University of AlbertaAbstract Background RAAPID (Referral, Access, Advice, Placement, Information, and Destination) is a 24-h call center in Alberta, Canada, facilitating urgent telephone consultations between physicians and specialists. We evaluated the extent to which RAAPID calls to Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery (OHNS) reduced visits to the emergency department and specialty clinics. Methods This was a cross-sectional study evaluating all telephone consultations to OHNS from physicians in northern Alberta between 2013 and 2014 (T1) (where consultations by residents occurred) and 2015 to 2017 (T2) (where consultations were done by consultants during office hours and residents during after hours). Outcomes of the calls included medical advice, specialty clinic referrals, and emergency department (ED) referrals. Differences in the reduction of ED visits and costs, overall as well as in T1 and T2, were assessed using multivariate logistic regression. Results Overall, 62.3% (1064/1709) of telephone consultations reduced ED visits consisting of advice being provided (n = 884; 83.1%) and referral to specialty clinics (n = 180; 16.9%). The adjusted odds ratio of calls reducing emergency visits in T2 as compared to T1 was 2.47 (95% CI 1.99 to 3.08). The adjusted odds ratio of reducing ED visits during office hours compared to after-hours 2.54 (95% CI 1.77–3.64). The estimated direct costs avoided from ED visits in T1 and T2 were $42,224.22 and $114,393.86, respectively. Conclusion RAAPID telephone consultations to OHNS were effective in reducing ED visits and healthcare costs. This model should be considered in other areas to improve efficiencies within the health system.http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s40463-020-00439-0 |
| spellingShingle | Peter George Jaminal Tian Dean Eurich Hadi Seikaly Douglas Boisvert John Montpetit Jeffrey Harris Telephone consultations with otolaryngology – head and neck surgery reduced emergency visits and specialty consultations in northern Alberta Journal of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery |
| title | Telephone consultations with otolaryngology – head and neck surgery reduced emergency visits and specialty consultations in northern Alberta |
| title_full | Telephone consultations with otolaryngology – head and neck surgery reduced emergency visits and specialty consultations in northern Alberta |
| title_fullStr | Telephone consultations with otolaryngology – head and neck surgery reduced emergency visits and specialty consultations in northern Alberta |
| title_full_unstemmed | Telephone consultations with otolaryngology – head and neck surgery reduced emergency visits and specialty consultations in northern Alberta |
| title_short | Telephone consultations with otolaryngology – head and neck surgery reduced emergency visits and specialty consultations in northern Alberta |
| title_sort | telephone consultations with otolaryngology head and neck surgery reduced emergency visits and specialty consultations in northern alberta |
| url | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s40463-020-00439-0 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT petergeorgejaminaltian telephoneconsultationswithotolaryngologyheadandnecksurgeryreducedemergencyvisitsandspecialtyconsultationsinnorthernalberta AT deaneurich telephoneconsultationswithotolaryngologyheadandnecksurgeryreducedemergencyvisitsandspecialtyconsultationsinnorthernalberta AT hadiseikaly telephoneconsultationswithotolaryngologyheadandnecksurgeryreducedemergencyvisitsandspecialtyconsultationsinnorthernalberta AT douglasboisvert telephoneconsultationswithotolaryngologyheadandnecksurgeryreducedemergencyvisitsandspecialtyconsultationsinnorthernalberta AT johnmontpetit telephoneconsultationswithotolaryngologyheadandnecksurgeryreducedemergencyvisitsandspecialtyconsultationsinnorthernalberta AT jeffreyharris telephoneconsultationswithotolaryngologyheadandnecksurgeryreducedemergencyvisitsandspecialtyconsultationsinnorthernalberta |