Table 4.
Distribution of topical and temporal decision categories in three different settings
| Outpatient, n (%) | Ward round, n (%) | Emergency room, n (%) | ||
| Total by topical categories | 3905 (100) | 812 (100) | 259 (100) | |
| 1 | Gathering additional information | 368 (9.4) | 66 (8.1) | 70 (27.0)* |
| 2 | Evaluating test result | 683 (17.5) | 100 (12.3) | 46 (17.8) |
| 3 | Defining problem | 1201 (30.8) | 253 (31.2) | 58 (22.4)† |
| 4 | Drug related | 438 (11.2) | 154 (19.0)‡ | 36 (13.9) |
| 5 | Therapeutic procedure related | 216 (5.5) | 40 (4.9) | 4 (1.5) |
| 6 | Legal and insurance- related | 67 (1.7) | 22 (2.7) | 1 (0.4) |
| 7 | Contact related | 388 (9.9) | 86 (10.6) | 22 (8.5) |
| 8 | Advice and precaution | 324 (8.3)§ | 60 (7.4) | 13 (5.0) |
| 9 | Treatment goal | 60 (1.5) | 7 (0.9) | 3 (1.2) |
| 10 | Deferment | 160 (4.4) | 24 (3.0) | 6 (2.3) |
| Total by temporal categories n (%) | 3905 (100) | 812 (100) | 259 (100) | |
| A | Preformed | 456 (11.7) | 319 (39.3)¶ | 22 (8.5) |
| B | Here-and-now | 2921 (74.8) | 401 (49.4)** | 212 (81.8) |
| C | Conditional | 528 (13.5) | 92 (11.3) | 25 (9.7) |
*Significantly higher than in outpatient (P<0.001) and ward round encounters (P<0.001).
†Significantly lower than in emergency room encounters (P=0.028).
‡Significantly higher than in outpatient encounters (P=0.031).
§Significantly higher than in emergency room encounters (P=0.035).
¶Significantly higher than in outpatient (P<0.001) and emergency room (P<0.001).
**Significantly lower than in outpatient (P<0.001) and emergency room (P=0.003).