title: Determinants of out-of-hours service users' potentially inappropriate referral or non-referral to an emergency department: a retrospective cohort study in a local health authority, Veneto Region, Italy.
abstract: A growing presence of inappropriate patients has been recognised as one of the main factors influencing emergency department (ED) overcrowding, which is a very widespread problem all over the world. On the other hand, out-of-hours (OOH) physicians must avoid delaying the diagnostic and therapeutic course of patients with urgent medical conditions. The aim of this study was to analyse the appropriateness of patient management by OOH services, in terms of their potentially inappropriate referral or non-referral of non-emergency cases to the ED.
  
  
  
  This was an observational retrospective cohort study based on data collected in 2011 by the local health authority No. 4 in the Veneto Region (Italy). After distinguishing between patients contacting the OOH service who were or were not referred to the ED, and checking for patients actually presenting to the ED within 24 hours thereafter, these patients' medical management was judged as potentially appropriate or inappropriate.
  
  
  
  The analysis considered 22 662 OOH service contacts recorded in 2011. The cases of potentially inappropriate non-referral to the ED were 392 (1.7% of all contacts), as opposed to 1207 potentially inappropriate referrals (5.3% of all contacts). Age, nationality, type of disease and type of intervention by the OOH service were the main variables associated with the appropriateness of patient management.
  
  
  
  These findings may be useful for pinpointing the factors associated with a potentially inappropriate patient management by OOH services and thus contribute to improving the deployment of healthcare and the quality of care delivered by OOH services.
authors: Department of Molecular Medicine, Public Health Section, Laboratory of Public Health and Population Studies, University of Padua, Padua, Italy.
authors: Alessandra
authors: 0000-0003-2216-3807
authors: A
authors: Buja
authors: Health Director, ULSS 4, Region Veneto, Thiene, Italy.
authors: Roberto
authors: R
authors: Toffanin
authors: Epidemiological Unit, ULSS 4, Region Veneto, Thiene, Italy.
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Rigon
authors: Out of Hour Service, ULSS 4, Region Veneto, Thiene, Italy.
authors: P
authors: P
authors: Sandonà
authors: Faculty of Medicine, University of Padua, Padua, Italy.
authors: T
authors: T
authors: Carrara
authors: Department of Public Health, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Rome, Italy.
authors: G
authors: G
authors: Damiani
authors: Department of Molecular Medicine, Public Health Section, Laboratory of Public Health and Population Studies, University of Padua, Padua, Italy.
authors: V
authors: V
authors: Baldo
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D039602:After-Hours Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007558:Italy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D019564:Unnecessary Procedures / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: HEALTH SERVICES ADMINISTRATION & MANAGEMENT; PRIMARY CARE