Evidence map›Paper›PMID 32307690›Full record

ArticleIrish journal of medical science2020

A survey of general practitioner's opinion on the proposal to introduce 'treat and referral' into the Irish emergency medical service.

Brian Power, Gerard Bury

Abstract read
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In one paragraph

Article in Irish journal of medical science, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
0.4field-weighted citation impact, top 36% of its field
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

1 citing paper in PubMed, 2 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. 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

2 authors at 2 institutions in 2 countries.

Brian PowerPre-Hospital Emergency Care Council, Beech House, Millennium Pk, Naas, Co. Kildare, W91 TK7N, Ireland. brianrpower@gmail.com.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9729-1614
Gerard BuryCentre for Emergency Medical Science, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4441-6724
Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council · GBUniversity College Dublin · IE

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe introduction of treat and referral by ambulance practitioners is under active consideration in Ireland. The Irish ambulance services have traditionally transported all patients following an emergency (112/999) call to an emergency department. The introduction of treat and referral will present a significant care pathway change.

aimsTo engage GPs in relation to the proposed introduction of treat and referral.

methodsA postal survey of 50 general practices in the southeast of Ireland was completed in 2019 to identify their opinion on the introduction of treat and referral. Descriptive statistics were calculated, and Pearson's chi-square tests were used to identify statistically significant differences among GP cohorts.

resultsA 78% response rate was achieved. Respondents indicated that informal treat and referral was practised by 40% of GPs. A significant majority of GPs indicated that their patients with diabetes or epilepsy would benefit from treat and referral and were happy for paramedics to make appointments posthypoglycaemia or seizure. There was no clear consensus in relation to confining treat and referral to adults only. Barriers to the implementation of treat and referral were a significant issue for GPs.

conclusionsGPs are in the main supportive of the introduction of treat and referral; however, they have identified several barriers that may inhibit successful introduction. Importantly, a GP appointment within 48 h does not appear to be a barrier. The adequacy of the working relationships between GPs and the ambulance service and its practitioners appears to have reduced since 2006, which is concerning.

Indexed as

Surveys and QuestionnairesAdultEmergency Medical ServicesFemaleGeneral PractitionersHumansIrelandMaleMiddle AgedReferral and ConsultationDiabetesEpilepsyGeneral practitionerParamedicTreat and referral

Identifiers

PMID32307690
OpenAlexW3017257880

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

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.