Clinically relevant outcomes for same-day emergency care provided by ambulatory emergency care units (AECs) are largely unknown. We report the activity and outcomes for a large UK adult AEC operating an ambulatory-care-by-default model without specific exclusion criteria. The AEC consultant triaged all acute medical referrals to either the AEC or the standard non-ambulatory 'take' pathway during AEC opening hours. The proportion of acute medical referrals seen in the AEC increased to 42% (mean 700 referrals seen per month) in the last 6 months of the study and numbers seen in the nonambulatory pathway fell. The most common diagnoses were for chest pain, pneumonia, cellulitis, heart failure and urinary system disorders. Seventy-four point eight per cent of patients completed their care in a single visit. In the last calendar year, the conversion rate from AEC to inpatient admission was 12%, and the 30-day readmission rate was 6.9% and 18% for the AEC and non-ambulatory pathways, respectively. Across the whole study period, the 30-day mortality was 1.6% and 6.9% for the AEC and non-ambulatory pathway, respectively. This ambulatory approach is safe and effective.
28% and 14.5% of referrals were referred to community therapy and nursing, respectively and 66% of patients were provided with information on service available. The re-admission rates within 7 days and 30 days were 3% and 1.3%, respectively. Staff surveys have felt that the introduction of the service has improved the care to this group of patients. Over this short period, the number of bed days saved were 26 with a significant cost saving overall. Conclusion The introduction of a dedicated therapy service to an ambulatory setting has shown to have a role in influencing admission and the care provided to frail patients. There is still room for further education and potentially increasing capacity of the service by expanding the workforce. ■
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