Table 2 Description of reviews
Author and Year | Country | Review Type | Focus of Review | Aim | Included Study Designs | Date Range of Included Studies | Method of Quality Assessment | AMSTAR Quality Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Blank et al. [14] 2012 | UK | Rapid evidence assessment | TTAS | To synthesise evidence about the appropriateness of and compliance with telephone triage decisions. | 52 observational studies 2 RCTs | 1992–2010 | No documented assessment method | 5 |
Brebner et al. [33] 2006 | UK | Systematic review | A & E tele-consultations | To conduct a systematic review of evidence about accident and emergency tele-consultation services. | 31 in total; 2 RCTs; mostly demonstration and feasibility studies rather than full-scale trials. | 1996–2004 | No documented assessment method | 4 |
Bunn et al. [27] 2004 | UK | Cochrane Review | TTAS | To assess the effects of telephone consultation on safety, service usage and patient satisfaction, and compare telephone consultation by different healthcare professionals. | 5 RCTs 1 CCT 3 Interrupted time series | 1979–2002 | Modified EPOC checklist (Effective Practice and Organisation of Care Review Group) [29] | 8 |
Carrasqueiro et al. [7] 2011 | Portugal | Systematic Review | TTAS | To review TTAS evaluation studies, compile methodologies and metrics used and compare results. | 2 qualitative 18 observational 1 decision analysis 31 experimental | 1994–2010 | Modified economic evaluation checklist | 2 |
Chapman et al. [15] 2004 | UK | Systematic review | Recent primary care innovations which included telephone consultations with GPs or nurses | To review the evidence of seven recent innovations (including TTAS-related operations) in service provision to improve access or equity in access to primary care. | 4 RCTs 1 Pilot evaluation 1 Lit review 5 observational/descriptive | 1993–2003 | Hierarchy of evidence assessment, levels 1–3 | 7 |
Fry, M. [11] 2011 | Australia | Systematic review | After-hours care models | To examine the impact of afterhours primary care models on other healthcare providers, and to examine the effectiveness of after-hours services. | 5 RCTs 24 Time series, before and after, or comparative | 1985–2009 | CASP checklist [31] | 4 |
Huibers et al. [12] 2011 | The Netherlands | Systematic review | TTAS | To assess the research evidence on safety of telephone triage in out-of-hours primary care. | 33 Total 2 RCTs, 1 case study 30 observational | 1989–2011 | No documented assessment method | 3 |
Ismail et al. [28] 2013 | UK | Systematic review | Primary care interventions (including TTAS) | To review the evidence on primary care service interventions aimed at reducing inappropriate A&E/ ED visits. | 6 systematic reviews 13 before and after or interrupted time series 7 cross sectional 6 non-comparative case studies 1 cohort 1 Non-randomised CT | 1997–2006 | SIGN checklist [32] | 5 |
Leibowitz et al. [30] 2003 | Australia | Systematic review | After-hours primary care services including TTAS | A review of the existing evidence about the effects of different models of out-of-hours primary care services on outcome | 3 RCTs 2 reviews 1 Evaluation 11 observational/descriptive | 1978–2000 | Hierarchy of evidence assessment | 4 |
Purc-Stephenson et al. [6] 2012 | Canada | Meta-analytic review | TTAS | To investigate the extent to which patients comply with triage advice from tele-nurses and to identify factors potentially affecting compliance. | 1 RCT 5 Observational studies 6 Prospective studies 1 Prospective quasi experimental | 1997–2010 | CASP checklist [31] | 6 |