Management of COVID-19 in the community using virtual care: An Australian perspective.

Introduction: Virtual care and remote monitoring were widely used during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, early evaluations of effectiveness were often inconclusive due to low rates of enrolment and limited data. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of virtual care in managing individuals in community-based self-isolation and quarantine in Australia during this pandemic.

Clinical and longitudinal patterns of frequent presenters to emergency departments: A multi-centre data linkage analysis.

Objective: To describe clinical characteristics and longitudinal patterns of representation in a cohort of patients who frequently present to EDs for care.

Methods: A retrospective data analysis linking routinely collected ED data across three hospitals. The study population consisted of patients who presented to any ED on 10 or more occasions in any continuous 365-day period from 1 July 2015 to 30 June 2021.

24 hours - Life in the E.R.: A state-wide data linkage analysis of in-patients with prolonged emergency department length of stay in New South Wales, Australia.

Objective: Describe the characteristics and predictors of mortality for patients who spend more than 24 h in the ED waiting for an in-patient bed and compare baseline clinical and demographic characteristics between tertiary and non-tertiary hospitals.

Methods: This was a state-wide analysis data linkage analysis of adult (age >16 years) ED presentations across New South Wales from 2019 to 2020. Cases were included if their mode of separation from ED indicated admission to an in-patient unit including critical care ward and their ED length of stay was greater than or equal to 24 h.

Does volume or occupancy influence emergency access block? A multivariate time series analysis from a single emergency department in Sydney, Australia during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Objective: The study aims to determine whether ED presentation volume or hospital occupancy had a greater impact on ED performance before and during the COVID-19 health response at a tertiary referral hospital in Sydney, Australia.

Methods: Single centre time series analysis using routinely collected hospital and ED data from January 2019 to September 2020. The primary outcome was ED access block measured by emergency treatment performance (ETP; i.

Incidence and outcomes of aortic dissection for emergency departments in New South Wales, Australia 2017-2018: A data linkage study.

Objective: The aims of the present study were to describe the age-specific incidence and 30-day mortality of aortic dissection patients presenting to the EDs in New South Wales (NSW).

Methods: This was a data linkage study involving emergency, inpatient and death registry administrative data from NSW.

Results: The present study found 273 instances of aortic dissection in NSW from July 2017 to July 2018.

Predictors and in-hospital mortality associated with prolonged emergency department length of stay in New South Wales tertiary hospitals from 2017 to 2018.

Objective: To determine specific patient, clinical and service factors associated with increased ED length of stay and investigate whether prolonged ED length of stay, as measured by emergency treatment performance (ETP) non-compliance, is an independent predictor of all cause 30-day mortality for patients presenting to, and admitted from ED.

Methods: This was a retrospective analysis of linked state-wide emergency, inpatient and death data from New South Wales. All patients who presented to a tertiary level public hospital (level 5 or 6) ED and admitted to an in-patient unit were included.

The Sydney triage to admission risk tool (START) to improve patient flow in an emergency department: a model of care implementation pilot study.

Background: The Sydney Triage to Admission Risk Tool (START) is a validated clinical analytics tool designed to estimate the probability of in-patient admission based on Emergency Department triage characteristics.

Methods: This was a single centre pilot implementation study using a matched case control sample of patients assessed at ED triage. Patients in the intervention group were identified at triage by the START tool as likely requiring in-patient admission and briefly assessed by an ED Consultant.

Diagnoses, damned diagnoses and statistics: Dealing with disparate diagnostic coding systems within the New South Wales Emergency Department Data Collection.

Objectives: The aims of the present study were to describe the distribution of Systematised Nomenclature of Medicine - Clinical Terms (SNOMED-CT) codes used in the current New South Wales Emergency Department Data Collection (NSW EDDC) and classify duplicate and redundant terms into clinically meaningful sub-groups for future analyses.

Methods: This was an analysis of ED diagnosis codes using a large state-wide administrative ED dataset between 2015 and 2018.

Results: A total of 7.

Extending the Sydney Triage to Admission Risk Tool (START+) to predict discharges and short stay admissions.

Objective: This study aims to validate previously reported triage tool titled Sydney Triage to Admission Risk Tool (START+) and investigate whether an extended version of the tool could be used to identify and stream appropriate short stay admissions to ED observation units or specialised short stay inpatient wards.

Methods: This was a prospective study at two metropolitan EDs in Sydney, Australia. Consecutive triage encounters were observed by a trained researcher and START scores calculated.

The Sydney Triage to Admission Risk Tool (START): A prospective validation study.

Objective: The present study aims to prospectively validate the Sydney Triage to Admission Risk Tool (START) to predict ED disposition.

Methods: This was a prospective validation study at two metropolitan EDs in Sydney, Australia. Consecutive triage encounters were observed by a trained researcher and START scores calculated.

Emergency Department demand associated with seasonal influenza, 2010 through 2014, New South Wales, Australia.

Introduction: Influenza's impact on health and health care is underestimated by influenza diagnoses recorded in health-care databases. We aimed to estimate total and non-admitted influenza-attributable hospital Emergency Department (ED) demand in New South Wales (NSW), Australia.

Methods: We used generalized additive time series models to estimate the association between weekly counts of laboratory-confirmed influenza infections and weekly rates of total and non-admitted respiratory, infection, cardiovascular and all-cause ED visits in NSW, Australia for the period 2010 through 2014.

Influenza-associated delays in patient throughput and premature patient departure in emergency departments in New South Wales, Australia: A time series analysis.

Objectives: Influenza outbreaks cause overcrowding in EDs. We aimed to quantify the impact of influenza on the National Emergency Access Targets and premature patient departure in New South Wales, Australia.

Methods: This was a retrospective observational study of 11 million presentations to 115 hospitals during 2010-2014, using routinely collected administrative records.

Feeling the HEAT: Using Hourly Emergency Activity Tracking to demonstrate a novel method of describing activity and patient flow.

Objective: The objective of the present study is to demonstrate a novel method of mapping ED activity to analyse patterns presentations, occupancy and performance trends.

Methods: This was a retrospective, descriptive analysis of de-identified and linked ED presentations across NSW, Australia, over five calendar years, 2010-2014. It was undertaken as part of the Demand for Emergency Services Trend in Years 2010-2014 (DESTINY) study.

The Sydney Triage to Admission Risk Tool (START) to predict Emergency Department Disposition: A derivation and internal validation study using retrospective state-wide data from New South Wales, Australia.

Background: Disposition decisions are critical to the functioning of Emergency Departments. The objectives of the present study were to derive and internally validate a prediction model for inpatient admission from the Emergency Department to assist with triage, patient flow and clinical decision making.

Methods: This was a retrospective analysis of State-wide Emergency Department data in New South Wales, Australia.

Major trauma mortality in rural and metropolitan NSW, 2009-2014: a retrospective analysis of trauma registry data.

Objective: To determine trends in crude and risk-adjusted mortality for major trauma patients injured in rural or metropolitan New South Wales, 2009-2014.

Design: A retrospective analysis of NSW statewide trauma registry data.

Participants: Adult patients (aged 16 years or more) who presented with major trauma (Injury Severity Scores greater than 15) to a NSW hospital during 2009-2014.

Demand for Emergency Services Trends in New South Wales Years 2010-2014 (DESTINY): Age and Clinical Factors Associated with Ambulance Transportation to Emergency Departments.

Objectives: The study aimed to analyze ambulance transportations to Emergency Departments (EDs) in New South Wales (NSW) and to identify temporal changes in demographics, acuity, and clinical diagnoses.

Methods: This was a retrospective analysis of a population based registry of ED presentations in New South Wales. The NSW Emergency Department data collection (EDCC) collects patient level data on presentations to designated EDs across NSW.

Age-related trends in injury and injury severity presenting to emergency departments in New South Wales Australia: Implications for major injury surveillance and trauma systems.

Objectives: To describe population based trends and clinical characteristics of injury related presentations to Emergency Departments (EDs).

Design And Setting: A retrospective, descriptive analysis of de-identified linked ED data across New South Wales, Australia over five calendar years, from 2010 to 2014.

Participants: Patients were included in this analysis if they presented to an Emergency Department and had an injury related diagnosis.

Statewide retrospective study of low acuity emergency presentations in New South Wales, Australia: who, what, where and why?

Objective: The present study aims to use a statewide population-based registry to assess the prevalence of low acuity emergency department (ED) presentations, describe the trend in presentation rates and to determine whether they were associated with various presentation characteristics such as the type of hospital as well as clinical and demographic variables.

Design And Setting: This was a retrospective analysis of a population-based registry of ED presentations in New South Wales (NSW). Generalised estimating equations with log links were used to determine factors associated with low acuity presentations to account for repeat presentations and the possibility of clustering of outcomes.

Trends and characteristics of short-term and frequent representations to emergency departments: A population-based study from New South Wales, Australia.

Objective: The objective of this study is to describe the trends and characteristics of short-term and frequent representations to EDs in New South Wales, Australia.

Methods: This was a retrospective analysis of a linked population-based registry of ED representations in New South Wales, conducted as part of the Demand for Emergency Services in Years 2010-2014 project. Trend analysis of unplanned representations to ED within 3 days of discharge from ED, readmission to an in-patient unit within 30 days of index in-patient admission from ED and demographic data and trends for frequent and very frequent ED presenters is discussed.

Understanding drivers of Demand for Emergency Service Trends in Years 2010-2014 in New South Wales: An initial overview of the DESTINY project.

Objective: This study aims to describe the general characteristics and data definitions used in a population-based data set of ED presentations in New South Wales (NSW), used to form the basis of future-trend analyses.

Methods: Retrospective analysis of the Emergency Department Data Collection registry, which provided clinical and demographic information of ED presentations across all EDs in NSW between 2010 and 2014. Presenting problems and ED diagnoses were classified using broad clinical categories including injury/musculoskeletal, respiratory, cardiovascular, ear nose and throat, and mental health.

The end of emergency medicine as we know it.

Several health, social and professional factors are forcing Emergency Physicians to rethink their role in the health system. Despite these challenges, there are a number of ways that we can evolve, including an increasing role for academic and subspecialty emergency medicine, which will ensure our specialty, remains vital and viable in the 21st century and beyond.

Randomised control trial of humidified high flow nasal cannulae versus standard oxygen in the emergency department.

Objectives: The aim of the study was to determine if oxygen delivered through humidified high flow nasal cannulae (HHFNC) reduced the need for escalation in ventilation management and work of breathing in the ED patients presenting with acute undifferentiated shortness of breath compared with standard oxygen therapy.

Methods: This was an unblinded randomised control trial conducted at two hospital EDs in Sydney, Australia. Eligible patients presenting with shortness of breath were randomised to HHFNC or standard oxygen therapy.

Incremental cost-effectiveness of trauma service improvements for road trauma casualties: experience of an Australian major trauma centre.

Objective The aim of the present study was to estimate the cost-effectiveness of trauma service funding enhancements at an inner city major trauma centre. Methods The present study was a cost-effectiveness analysis using retrospective trauma registry data of all major trauma patients (injury severity score >15) presenting after road trauma between 2001 and 2012. The primary outcome was cost per life year gained associated with the intervention period (2007-12) compared with the pre-intervention period (2001-06).