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Table 2 Characteristics of vCare encounters by referral priority (urgency level), Western NSW, 1 February to 31 March 2021

From: A retrospective observational study of vCare: a virtual emergency clinical advisory and transfer service in rural and remote Australia

 

Referral Priority (Urgency level)a

Total

N (%)

A (High urgency)

B (Semi-urgent)

C (Non-urgent)

vCare encounters, N (% of row total)

78 (4.8)

832 (51.4)

709 (43.8)

1,619 (100.0)

Time from presentation to referral, N (%)

 < 1 h

48 (67.6)

327 (41.7)

178 (27.2)

553 (36.6)

 1–5 h

18 (25.4)

341 (43.5)

332 (50.8)

691 (45.8)

 > 5 h

5 (7.0)

116 (14.8)

144 (22.0)

265 (17.6)

Camera-assisted referral, N (%)

 Yes

45 (57.7)

215 (26.1)

58 (8.3)

318 (19.8)

 No

33 (42.3)

610 (73.9)

644 (91.7)

1,287 (80.2)

Transfer priorityb, N (%)

 A (High)

39 (57.4)

28 (4.4)

1 (0.2)

68 (6.0)

 B (Moderate)

29 (42.6)

481 (76.3)

151 (34.2)

661 (58.0)

 C (Low-moderate)

0 (0.0)

50 (7.9)

120 (27.2)

170 (14.9)

 D (Low)

0 (0.0)

10 (1.6)

38 (8.6)

48 (4.2)

 E (Self§)

0 (0.0)

61 (9.7)

131 (29.7)

192 (16.9)

Total transfers (% of encounters)

68 (87.2)

630 (75.7)

441 (62.6)

1,139 (70.5)

Nil transfers (% of encounters)

10 (12.8)

202 (24.3)

264 (37.4)

476 (29.5)

Presenting condition type, N (%)c

 Cardiac

21 (8.1)

178 (68.5)

61 (23.5)

260 (16.1)

 Trauma

 < 5 (1.6)

98 (40.2)

142 (58.2)

244 (15.1)

 Gastroenteric

 < 5 (1.3)

98 (41.0)

138 (57.7)

239 (14.8)

 Respiratory

16 (12.3)

81 (62.3)

33 (25.4)

130 (8.0)

 Infection

6 (5.0)

52 (43.7)

61 (51.3)

119 (7.4)

 Unwell child

 < 5 (1.8)

66 (59.5)

43 (38.7)

111 (6.9)

 Neurological

5 (4.6)

63 (58.3)

40 (37.0)

108 (6.7)

 Obstetric/Gynaecological

0 (0.0)

44 (60.3)

29 (39.7)

73 (4.5)

 Syncope/Loss of consciousness

11 (15.9)

38 (55.1)

20 (29.0)

69 (4.3)

 Musculoskeletal

 < 5 (2.4)

13 (31.7)

27 (65.9)

41 (2.5)

 Renal

 < 5 (2.9)

17 (48.6)

17 (48.6)

35 (2.2)

 Mental Health/Drug & Alcohol

 < 5 (11.8)

19 (55.9)

11 (32.4)

34 (2.1)

 Other

 < 5 (2.6)

65 (41.7)

87 (55.8)

156 (9.6)

  1. aReferral priority – Incoming Classification Matrix (three urgency levels] [14]
  2. A. Acutely critically ill/life-threatening, queue time < 30 s
  3. B. Acute/semi-urgent patient requiring clinical support, assessments 10 minutely
  4. C. Non-urgent clinical and non-clinical advice and support
  5. bPatient Transport Classes [25]
  6. A. Emergency retrieval for life-threatening clinical scenario (Emergency Ambulance Services only). High acuity
  7. B. Patient requires observation and monitoring by Registered Nurse or Paramedic > Medium acuity
  8. C. Patient expected to remain stable requiring clinical escort. Medium to low acuity
  9. D. Stable patient requiring non-clinical transport escort. Medium to low acuity
  10. E. Self-caring patient, no risk of deterioration, can use non-health/private transport. Low acuity
  11. cPercentages by referral priority are calculated using the row total as the denominator, percentages for the Total column use column total as the denominator
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