Evidence map›Paper›PMID 31658918›Full record

ArticlePrimary health care research & development2019

Hospital avoidance: an integrated community system to reduce acute hospital demand.

Graham McGeoch, Brett Shand, Carolyn Gullery, Greg Hamilton, Matthew Reid

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Primary health care research & development, 2019. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
5citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

5 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. What Is Important to Older People When Accessing Urgent Health Care: Key Considerations and Recommendations From Consumer Consultations.Health expectations : an international journal of public participation in health care and health policy · 2025
    Article
  2. Article
  3. Article
  4. Article
  5. A flexible protocol for a systematic review of remote patient monitoring.Primary health care research & development · 2020
    Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Graham McGeochClinical Leader, Canterbury Initiative, Canterbury District Health Board, Christchurch, New Zealand.
Brett ShandClinical Writer and Analyst, Canterbury Initiative, Canterbury District Health Board, Christchurch, New Zealand.ORCID 0000-0002-6245-5292
Carolyn GulleryGeneral Manager, Planning and Funding Department and Decision Support, Canterbury District Health Board, Christchurch, New Zealand.
Greg HamiltonTeam Leader, Intelligence and Transformation, Planning and Funding Department, Canterbury District Health Board, Christchurch, New Zealand.
Matthew ReidPublic Health Physician, Planning and Funding Department, Canterbury District Health Board, Christchurch, New Zealand.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundGrowth in emergency department (ED) attendance and acute medical admissions has been managed to very low rates for 18 years in Canterbury, New Zealand, using a combination of community and hospital avoidance strategies. This paper describes the specific strategies that supported management of acutely unwell patients in the community as part of a programme to integrate health services.

interventionCommunity-based acute care was established by a culture of close collaboration and trust between all sectors of the health system, with general practice closely involved in the design and management of the services, and support provided by hospital specialists, coordination and diagnostic units, and competent informatics. Introduction of the community-based services was aided by a clinical guidance website and an education programme for general practice teams and allied health professionals. OUTCOMES: Attendance at EDs and acute medical admission rates have been held at low growth and, in some cases, shorter lengths of hospital stay. This trend was especially evident in elderly patients and those with ambulatory care sensitive or chronic disorders.

conclusionsA system of community-based care and education has resulted in sustained gains for the Canterbury health system and freed-up hospital resources. This outcome has engendered a sense of empowerment for general practice teams and their patients.

Indexed as

Delivery of Health Care, IntegratedEmergency Service, HospitalHospitalizationChronic DiseaseCommunity Health ServicesCooperative BehaviorGeneral PracticeHealth Services MisuseHumansNew Zealandacute demandambulatory careemergency servicesgrowth and developmenthome care serviceshospitalprimary health care

Identifiers

PMID31658918
PMCPMC6842657

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.