title: Agreement on urgency assessment between secretaries and general practitioners: an observational study in out-of-hours general practice service in Belgium.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In some European countries telephone triage (TT) during out-of-hours primary care showed to be safe and effective. Other countries, such as Belgium, may not have trained auxiliary personnel while their national health services want to establish TT.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To compare urgency levels assessed by secretaries and general practitioners in one general practice cooperative in Belgium.
  
  
  METHODS
  Percentage of correct-, under-, and over-triage were calculated in total and per reason for encounter. Inter-rater agreement was investigated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The secretaries correctly triaged (same urgency level) 77% of the telephone calls, under-triaged 10% and over-triaged 13%.'Shortness of breath', 'skin cuts', 'chest pain', 'feeling unwell' and 'syncope' were often under-triaged.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Before introducing TT, auxiliary staff should be trained and protocols should be used.
authors.affiliation: Department of Primary and Interdisciplinary Care, University of Antwerp , Antwerp, Wilrijk, Belgium.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Philips
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Van Bergen
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Huibers
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Colliers
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bartholomeeusen
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Coenen
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Remmen
mesh_terms: D039602:After-Hours Care; D001530:Belgium; D058005:General Practitioners; D006282:Health Personnel; D006801:Humans; D013689:Telephone; D014218:Triage
keywords: After hours care; Family practice; General practitioners; Patient safety; Triage