Prehospital Assessment Units - a Case Control Study

This study aimed to evaluate the prehospital assessment unit (PAU) by admission within 48 hours, 7 days, respectively and on survival.The PAU should increase focus on a patient-centered approach with the capability to make advanced assessments of patients to reduce unnecessary transportation. Further, this paramedic assessment program could positively impact the healthcare system by reducing admissions to emergency departments.The PAU is operated by paramedics who have additional education, and they are capable of testing and monitoring certain conditions at the scene - in the home of the patients. The paramedics decide if the patient requires admission to the hospital or if the patient could stay at home. They are consulting physicians on call by phone.This retrospective case-control study included data from patients assessed by the PAU between November 1st 2021, and October 1st 2022.Controls were selected from the 1-1-2 calls (the European version of 9-1-1) EMS and were collected based on the same criteria as the patients assessed by the PAU. The control ratio was 1:10 for cases to increase power. Controls were matched on sex and age (within 5-year ranges). Matching was performed using incidence density sampling, where controls were selected for each case on the week of 1-1-2 call.

Inclusion Criteria:expectations of undergoing an uncomplicated illness progressiongreen or yellow level of triage based on the ABCDE approach (red, orange, yellow, green, blue levels of triage.Exclusion Criteria:gynaecological disease