Table 2 Emergency Severity Index comparison of baseline characteristics between the study population and the other self‐referred patients during the study period.
| Study (triaged) patients, (%) | Other self‐referred patients (%) | p Value | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Patients (n) | 1832 | 1871 | |
| Sex (male) | 1074 (59) | 1090 (58) | NS |
| Average (range) age (years) | 33 (14–92) | 33 (14–88) | NS |
| Use of resources | |||
| None | 1112 (61) | 1183 (63) | NS |
| Blood tests | 185 (10) | 192 (10) | NS |
| Urine analysis | 124 (7) | 109 (6) | NS |
| x Ray | 423 (23) | 416 (22) | NS |
| ECG | 107 (6) | 116 (6) | NS |
| Specialist consultation | 308 (17) | 333 (18) | NS |
| Disposition | |||
| Admission | 65 (4) | 93 (5) | NS |
| Discharge—refer to specialist clinic | 288 (16) | 318 (17) | NS |
| Discharge—refer to GP | 420 (23) | 374 (20) | NS |
| Discharge—no follow‐up | 1050 (57) | 1112 (59) | NS |
ECG, electrocardiogram; GP, general practitioner; NS, not significant.