FOllow-up of LOW-acuity Patients After REdirection From a Swiss Emergency Department Using an Electronic TRIage Application
For patients and families
In plain language
An automatic summary of structured registry data. It is an orientation aid, not a substitute for the official protocol or a physician assessment.
- What is being studied
- The protocol lists: intervention is the use of aTriage-Based Patient Redirection Using an Electronic Decision Support Toolin the emergency department (ED).
- Who it may be relevant to
- Registry conditions: Triage, Low Acuity Patients, Health Literacy Level, Non-urgent Emergencies. Basic parameters: from 18 years · All.
- What needs checking
- Age, condition and sex are only basic indicators. Prior treatment, laboratory values and other mandatory requirements appear in the eligibility criteria below.
- Where it takes place
- Switzerland
- Next step
- Save the trial, show it to the treating physician, and confirm current recruitment with the study center. Costs, documents and travel →
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Official title
FOllow-Up of LOW-Acuity Patients After REdirection From the Emergency Department at Fribourg Cantonal Hospital in Switzerland Using an Electronic TRIage Application: a Monocentric, Prospective Observational Study
Overview
Emergency department (ED) overcrowding is a growing issue, affecting patient safety, healthcare quality, and hospital efficiency. One strategy to manage low-acuity patients is triage-based redirection, where patients with non-urgent conditions are offered the option to receive care at external medical facilities instead of the ED. This monocentric, prospective observational study will be conducted at Fribourg Cantonal Hospital, Switzerland, and evaluates the impact of a new electronic triage and redirection system (Logibec Réorientation). The study compares two triage processes: Current practice - Redirection based on the Swiss Emergency Triage Scale (SETS), limited to low-acuity patients (SETS 4). New practice - Redirection using the Logibec software, allowing redirection of both low-acuity (SETS 4) and semi-urgent (SETS 3) patients based on predefined criteria. The primary objective is to assess whether the new triage-based redirection reduces the number of ED consultations per patient within 48 hours of their initial visit. Secondary outcomes include: Number of consultations in the ED or other medical facilities within 7 days Rate of hospital admissions within 7 days Patient satisfaction with redirection Evolution of health literacy over 6 months Number of ED visits over 6 months Participants are adult patients (≥18 years old) classified as SETS 3-4 and identified as eligible for redirection by the Logibec software. Data will be collected through phone interviews and questionnaires over a 6-month follow-up period. This study aims to improve triage efficiency, patient flow management, and healthcare accessibility, while ensuring patient safety in the redirection process.
Interventions
- Other intervention is the use of aTriage-Based Patient Redirection Using an Electronic Decision Support Toolin the emergency department (ED)
Name: Logibec Réorientation software-assisted triage and redirection Type: Decision support system for emergency triage Implementation: * Applied during patient triage in the emergency department * Assists in identifying low-acuity (SETS 4) and semi-urgent (SETS 3) patients eligible for redirection * Uses standardized inclusion/exclusion criteria to guide redirection decisions Comparator: Standard nurse-led triage and redirection based only on the Swiss Emergency Triage Scale (SETS) Key Dis
Primary outcome measures
- Number of Emergency Department Consultations per Patient Within 48 Hours After Initial Visit [Time frame: From initial emergency department visit to 48 hours post-visit]
Secondary outcome measures (5)
- the number of consultations per patient in the ED or other medical services within 7 days after the first ED visit [Time frame: From initial emergency department visit to 7 days post-visit]
- the proportion of patients who need hospitalization related to initial complaint within 7 days [Time frame: From initial emergency department visit to 7 days post-visit]
- the proportion of patients satisfied with the redirection process [Time frame: At day 2 and day 7 post-visit]
- the mean number of ED consultations after 1 month, 3 months and 6 months per patient [Time frame: From initial emergency department visit to 6 month post-visit]
- the evaluation of the health literacy and its evolution within 6 months of visit [Time frame: At day 7 post-visit and 6 months post-visit]
Eligibility criteria
Inclusion criteria
- Age ≥18 years old
- Triage level SETS 3 or SETS 4 (classified as semi-urgent or low-acuity)
- Identified as eligible for redirection by the Logibec electronic triage system
- Able to speak and read French or German (for informed consent and follow-up)
- Provides informed consent: Oral consent at Day 2 and Signed informed consent sent by post after inclusion
Exclusion criteria
- Inability to provide informed consent (e.g., cognitive impairment, language barrier without translation support)
- Inability to comply with study procedures, such as: Severe hearing impairment without hearing aids; Acute psychiatric conditions preventing participation; Not available for follow-up phone calls within the next 6 months
Criteria are shown verbatim from the registry (in English). Final eligibility is always assessed by the study center.
Healthy volunteers: Yes
Study design
- Observational model
- Cohort
Study locations
Switzerland · 1 center
- HFR-Fribourg — Fribourg
Identifiers
NCT: NCT06971419 · 2023-01655 · HFR_24-09