Evaluation of a pathway redirecting low acuity patients from an emergency department to a local GP clinic

The Tallaght University Hospital (TUH) Emergency Department (ED) GP Minor Illness service was developed in September 2022 in collaboration with Link GP. The service offers patients who come to the ED with minor illnesses an opportunity to have a scheduled appointment with experienced GPs in a local General Practice. The GP Minor Illness service will see selected patients presenting with conditions such as uncomplicated urinary tract, upper respiratory tract, ear, eye and throat infections, uncomplicated rashes and non-traumatic pains and strains. Post review, the GPs issue a discharge letter back to TUH ED and the patient’s own GP. The aim of the service is to reduce the length of time patients wait to be seen and hospital patient experience times. The aim of this service evaluation is to determine if the TUH ED GP link minor illness service is safe and acceptable to patients and staff. The secondary aims is to establish how many patients who are referred on the service have a GP and the utilisation of the service to date. Tallaght University Hospital Emergency Department is a tertiary department which sees 53,000 attendances per year. GP link is a primary care practice which is located 2.5 kilometers from the emergency department. A retrospective review of all patients referred on the service between 3/8/22 to 24/4/23. Triage details, patient demographics and discharge letters were reviewed. A staff satisfaction and a patient satisfaction surveys were conducted. 121 patients have availed of the ED GP link pathway to date. 27% of possible slots filled (41/152). There have been no major adverse events in patients referred on the pathway to date. 59% of patients had a GP and 41% did not have a GP. ED staff and patient survey respondents have been satisfied with service to date. 100% of respondents felt that the clinic offered a useful alternative option for low acuity ED patients. 80% of respondents had referred patients to the TUH ED GP link clinic. Some patient feedback comments include: Satisfaction score 10/10- “Quick, Efficient and no substandard”; Satisfaction score 10/10- “Very satisfied, appointment was quick and suitable”; Score 10/10- “It was quick and very professional” and score 10/10- “Very good, explained everything”. The ED GP Link pathway is a safe and effective pathway for low acuity patients who meet the inclusion criteria. A significant proportion of patients who are referred on the pathway do not have a GP. Going forward the ED will look to increase utilisation of slots from emergency department.