Table 1.

“Overview of observations and interviews”

“Trajectory”, (No. of days hospitalized), [No. of days followed in the study]	Gender, Age (years)	Reason for admission, (Discharged to)	Total observation timea, Hours (No. of days), [Observations conducted during day−/evening-shift]f	HCPs/staff included in observationsa	Total time spent on interviews, (No. of contacts)b	Professions interviewed and follow-ups with the older person, (Duration of each interview),
“Trajectory 1”, (16 days), [44 days]	Female, 85	Fever and chest pain, Pneumonias, Admitted through the out-of-hour medical service, (Own home)	11 h, (4 days), [Day-shift]	Nursesc, Physicians, Occupational therapist, Physiotherapist, Porter	2 h, 5 min (11 contacts)	Primary care coordinator (5 min.), Homecare worker 1 (10 min.), Homecare worker 2 (30 min.), GP (General Practitioner) (15 min.), Assessment nurse**** (10 min.), Physiotherapist (30 min.). The older person (10 min., 10 min., 5 min)
“Trajectory 2”, (4 days), [32 days]	Male, 75	Acute abdominal pain, (Own home)	14 h, (2 days), [Day-shift and evening-shift]	Nursesc, Physicians, Porter,	1 h, 25 min. (17 contacts)	Nurse*** (10 min.), Primary care manager (15 min.), Primary care coordinator (5 min.), GP (10 min.), Homecare worker (10 min.), The older person (15 min., 15 min., 5 min.)
“Trajectory 3”, (3 days), [39 days]	Male, 70	Fall episodes and functional decline, (Own home)	13 Hours, (2 days), [Day-shift and evening-shift]	Nursesc, Physicians, Registrar	1 h, 45 min. (11 contacts)	GP (30 min.), Primary care coordinator (5 min.), Homecare worker (20 min.), Nursec (25 min.), The older person (15 min., 10 min., 10 min.)
“Trajectory 4”, (2 days), [3 days]	Female, 84	Dehydration and rash, (Died on the 2. Day of hospitalization, thus follow-up with the older woman was not possible)	7 h, (2 days), [Day-shift]	Nursecc Physicians, Radiologist, Porter,	55 min. (5 contacts)	GP (10 min.), Homecare worker (10 min.), Nursec (35 min.),
“Trajectory 5”, (17 days), [39 days]	Female, 83	Vomiting and diarrhea, (Own home. Died in the follow-up period. Thus, last follow-up not possible)	14 h, (5 days), [Day-shift and evening-shift]	Nurses, Physicians, Porter, Cleaning and service assistants	2 h, 20 min. (7 contacts)	Homecare worker (25 min.), Nursec(15 min.), GP (10 Min.), Assessment nursed(30 min.), Follow-up via close relative as the older person could not answer the phone (60 min., Text message from relative, −).
“Trajectory 6”, (9 days), [37 days]	Male, 78	Fall episode and dyspnea, (Own home)	8 h, (2 days), [Day-shift and evening-shift]	Nursesc, Physicians, Occupational therapist, Physiotherapist, Porter,	50 min. (8 contacts)	Nursesc (5 min.), Homecare worker (15 min.), Discharge coordinator (25 min.), GP (not possible, long-term leave). Follow-up with the older person via homecare worker, (−, 5 min., Text message from homecare worker).
“Trajectory 7”, (2 days, then transferred to another Region for surgery, where observations was not possible), [30 days]	Female, 89	Fall, Transitioned to another Region for surgery, (Rehabilitation center)	7 h, (2 days), [Day-shift]	Nursesc, Physicians	Follow-up interview with the older person not possible, as she has no mobile phone. Instead a follow-up visit was conducted at the rehabilitation center, where relevant healthcare professionals where interviewed as well, (1 contact)	Nursec (20 min.), GP (not possible, unresponsive).
Other*****	–		19 h, (3 days), [Day-shift]	Not specified	Not specified	Not specified
Total			93 h, (22 days)		9 h 40 min. (60 contacts)
Average	81		13 Hours (3 observation days) pr. trajectory		1 h, 23 min., (9 contacts) pr. Trajectory

^a Observation time refer to the total sum of observations conducted in the representative trajectory at selected times across the number of days counted

^bFollow-up interviews with the patients and/or relatives are included in the counting of contacts as well as coordinative phone-calls with e.g. secretaries or managers. Coordination activities are not stated in Table 2 as counting interviews though

^c Nurses covers hospital nurses, student nurses and/or municipal employed nurses

^dA municipal employed healthcare professional with a job function to evaluate the older peoples’ needs and determine which municipal services should be allocated

^e General field observations conducted in the ED in the day-shift on days where recruiting trajectories was not possible

^f Day-shift = before 3 Pm., Evening-shift = after Pm