What factors predict ambulance prealerts to the emergency department? Retrospective observational study from three UK ambulance services
Prealert decisions are influenced by factors other than illness acuity and clinical diagnostic impression alone. Variation in prealert practice suggests that procedures and processes for prealerting may lack clarity and improved prealert protocols may be required. Research is required to understand whether our findings are reproducible elsewhere and why non-clinical factors (eg, patient gender) may influence prealert practice.
Authors
- Rob Spaight
- Andrew Pountney
- Mark Millins (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3065-0330)
- Jaqui Long (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6889-6195)
- Steve Goodacre (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0803-8444)
- Peter J. Webster (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1218-8090)
- Jamie Miles (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1080-768X)
- Rachel O’Hara (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4074-6854)
- Esther Herbert (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1224-5457)
- Joanne Coster (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0599-4222)
- Fiona Bell (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4503-1903)
- Alexis Foster (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7978-2791)
- Andy Rosser (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5477-4269)
- Richard Pilbery (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5797-9788)
- Aimée Boyd (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1030-8167)
- Fiona Sampson (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2321-0302)
- Janette Turner (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3884-7875)
Institutions
- Leeds General Infirmary (GB)
- North East Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust (GB)
- Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust (GB)
- East Midlands Ambulance Service NHS Trust (GB)
- South East Coast Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust
- University of Sheffield (GB)
Publication Details
- Journal
- BMJ Open
- Published
- 2025-03-01
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2024-097122
- Primary Topic
- Emergency and Acute Care Studies
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00
Funders
- Department of Health and Social Care
- Health Services and Delivery Research Programme