Table 3.
Healthcare resource utilisation in control and intervention group patients at baseline and at 6-month follow-up
| Outcome measures | Control | Intervention | p value | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baseline (6 months pre-study) |
6-month follow-up | Difference# | Baseline (6 months pre-study) |
6-month follow-up | Difference# | ||
|
n = 161* (48.8%) |
n = 161* (48.8%) |
n = 169* (51.2%) |
n = 169* (51.2%) |
||||
| Number of unplanned hospital admissions (total) | 46 | 33 | 40 | 21 | |||
| Mean ± SD | 0.3 ± 0.67 | 0.2 ± 0.58 | 0.1 ± 0.8 | 0.2 ± 0.51 | 0.1 ± 0.40 | 0.1 ± 0.6 |
0.279b 0.023c 0.501d |
| Median [IQR] | 0 [0–0] | 0 [0–0] | 0 [0–0] | 0 [0–0] | 0 [0–0] | 0 [0–0] | |
| Number of patients admitted (total) | 34 | 24 | 34 | 17 | |||
| Length of stay (days) (total) | 148 | 97 | - | 118 | 74 | - | |
| Mean ± SD | 4.4 ± 4.4 | 4.0 ± 3.9 | - | 3.5 ± 4.1 | 4.4 ± 3.8 | - | 0.733e |
| Median [IQR] | 3.0 [1.0–7.0] | 2.5 [1.0–6.5] | - | 1.5 [1.0–4.3] | 3.0 [1.0–7.5] | - | |
| Number of A&E attendances (total) | 45 | 57 | 43 | 37 | |||
| Mean ± SD | 0.3 ± 0.6 | 0.4 ± 0.8 | -0.1 ± 0.9 | 0.3 ± 0.5 | 0.2 ± 0.4 | 0.0 ± 0.6 |
0.326b 0.433c 0.333d |
| Median [IQR] | 0 [0–0] | 0 [0–0] | 0 [0–0] | 0 [0–0] | 0 [0–0] | 0 [0–0] | |
| Number of face-to-face consultations in general practicea (total) | 827 | 741 | 791 | 722 | |||
| Mean ± SD | 5.1 ± 4.2 | 4.6 ± 3.8 | 0.5 ± 3.9 | 4.7 ± 3.4 | 4.3 ± 3.4 | 0.4 ± 3.4 |
0.087b 0.069c 0.953d |
| Median [IQR] | 4 [2–7] | 4 [2–6] | 1 [-2–1] | 4 [2–7] | 4 [2–6] | 1 [-2–2.5] | |
| Number of telephone consultations in general practicea (total) | 300 | 300 | 321 | 239 | |||
| Mean ± SD | 1.9 ± 3.1 | 1.9 ± 2.9 | 0.0 ± 2.6 | 1.9 ± 2.7 | 1.4 ± 2.0 | 0.5 ± 2.4 |
0.481b 0.006c 0.020d |
| Median [IQR] | 1 [0–2] | 1 [0–3] | 0 [-1–1] | 1 [0–3] | 1 [0–2] | 0 [0–1] | |
| Total (face and telephone) number of General Practice consultationsa | 1127 | 1041 | 1112 | 961 | |||
| Mean ± SD | 7.0 ± 5.9 | 6.5 ± 5.3 | 0.5 ± 5.1 | 6.6 ± 4.9 | 5.7 ± 4.3 | 0.9 ± 4.4 |
0.284b 0.007c 0.227d |
| Median [IQR] | 6 [3–9] | 5 [3–9] | 0 [− 2–3] | 6 [3–9] | 5 [2–8] | 1 [− 2–4] | |
| Number of outpatient visits (total) | 453 | 453 | 487 | 430 | |||
| Mean ± SD | 2.8 ± 2.9 | 2.8 ± 2.9 | 0.0 ± 2.3 | 2.9 ± 3.1 | 2.5 ± 3.1 | 0.3 ± 2.6 |
0.841b 0.074c 0.136d |
| Median [IQR] | 2 [1–4] | 2 [0–4] | 0 [− 1–1] | 2 [1–4] | 2 [0–4] | 0 [− 1–2] | |
Bold values denote statistical significance at the p < 0.05 level
*From 356 patients, 14 patients’ healthcare resource utilisation data were not available, seven patients were deceased, five patients had 20 or more days of length of stay at baseline or 6-month follow-up
#Calculated as utilisation at baseline minus utilisation at end of study
aConsultation with general practitioner, pharmacist and nurse practitioner
bWilcoxon signed rank test (within control group, between baseline and 6-month follow-up)
cWilcoxon signed rank test (within intervention group, between baseline and 6-month follow-up)
dMann–Whitney U test (between control vs intervention for the utilisation difference from baseline)
eMann–Whitney U test (between control vs intervention at 6-month follow-up)