The implementation of the nationwide out-of-hours phone number 1733 in Belgium: analysis of efficiency and safety. (15th March 2021)
- Record Type:
- Journal Article
- Title:
- The implementation of the nationwide out-of-hours phone number 1733 in Belgium: analysis of efficiency and safety. (15th March 2021)
- Main Title:
- The implementation of the nationwide out-of-hours phone number 1733 in Belgium: analysis of efficiency and safety
- Authors:
- Schoenmakers, Birgitte
Delmeiren, Lukas
Pietermans, Sjors
Janssens, Marco
Van Der Mullen, Chris
Sabbe, Marc - Abstract:
- Abstract: Background: Belgium has a problem with inappropriate use of emergency services. The government installed the number 1733 for out-of-hours care. Through a dry run test, we learned that 30% of all calls were allocated to the protocol 'unclear problem'. In only 11.9% of all cases, there was an unclear problem. Methods: The study aimed to determine whether the adjusted protocol 'unwell for no clear reason' led to a safer and more efficient referral and to evaluate the efficiency and safety of the primary care protocols (PCPs). The study ran in cross-sectional design involving patients, General Practitioner Cooperatives and telephone operators. A random sample of calls to 1733 and patient referrals were assessed on efficiency and safety. Results: During 6 months in 2018, 11 622 calls to 1733 were registered. Seven hundred fifty-six of them were allocated to 'unwell for no clear reason', and a random sample of 180 calls was audited. To evaluate the PCPs, 202 calls were audited. The efficiency and safety of the protocol 'unwell for no clear reason' improved, and safety levels for under- and over-triage were not exceeded. The GP's judged that 9/10 of all patient encounters were correctly referred. Conclusion: This study demonstrated that the 1733-telephone triage system for out-of-hours care is successful if protocols, flow charts and emergency levels are well defined, monitored and operators are trained.
- Is Part Of:
- Primary health care research & development. Volume 22(2021)
- Journal:
- Primary health care research & development
- Issue:
- Volume 22(2021)
- Issue Display:
- Volume 22, Issue 2021 (2021)
- Year:
- 2021
- Volume:
- 22
- Issue:
- 2021
- Issue Sort Value:
- 2021-0022-2021-0000
- Page Start:
- Page End:
- Publication Date:
- 2021-03-15
- Subjects:
- after-hours care, -- family physicians, -- primary health care, -- telephone, -- triage methods
Family medicine -- Great Britain -- Periodicals
Primary care (Medicine) -- Great Britain -- Periodicals
362.1094105 - Journal URLs:
- http://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayJournal?jid=PHC ↗
- DOI:
- 10.1017/S1463423621000098 ↗
- Languages:
- English
- ISSNs:
- 1463-4236
- Deposit Type:
- Legaldeposit
- View Content:
- Available online (eLD content is only available in our Reading Rooms) ↗
- Physical Locations:
- British Library HMNTS - ELD Digital store
- Ingest File:
- 16001.xml