Paramedic Coached ED Care Transitions to Help Older Adults Maintain Their Health

Primary Outcomes (3)

• Number of Participants Returning to the ED Within 30 Days of the Original ED Visit

  The investigators included all unplanned ED use, regardless of reason, during the 30 days after discharge as abstracted from electronic medical records (with out-of-system ED use identified during participant phone surveys). The investigators constructed dichotomous variables measuring whether or not any ED visits occurred within 14 and 30 days after discharge, with the 30-day interval being the primary prespecified outcome. Control vs Intent-to-Treat vs Per Protocol population reported.

  30 days after emergency department discharge

• Time to Any Follow up (in Person or Phone) With PCP, Specialists, or Urgent Care

  Follow-up visits, abstracted from participant medical records, included office visits with primary or specialty providers, telephone calls, and online patient portal messaging (excluding automated reminder messages, electronic messages that did not receive a patient response, laboratory testing, and previously scheduled outpatient procedures). Outpatient follow-up was dichotomized by whether or not any contact with outpatient providers occurred within either 7 or 30 days of discharge. This approach allowed us to differentiate follow-up occurring soon after discharge (consistent with most ED discharge instructions) from less-timely contact with outpatient clinics. To conduct a preplanned subanalysis, we also categorized all follow-up as either "in-person" or "electronic." Dichotomous variables were created for each modality at each time point as well as a combined variable representing all forms of contact. Control vs Intent-To-Treat vs Per Protocol population reported.

  Medical records reviewed for number of participants who followed up within 7 and 30 days, augmented by participant surveys at day 4 and 30 to learn about non-University of Wisconsin hospital visits

• Number of Participants With Urgent Care or Unplanned Hospitalizations Within 30 Days of ED Discharge

  Control vs Intent-to-Treat vs Per Protocol Population reported

Conditions