[Even low-acuity patients prefer hospital-based emergency care : A survey of non-urgent patients in an emergency department with unique regional position]

[The utilization of ophthalmological emergency departments is on the rise : 14-year results from a German tertiary university outpatient department]

BACKGROUND

The increasing congestion in emergency departments of all specialties is one of the most pressing challenges of our time.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study is to make a well-founded contribution to the development of emergency case numbers in the tertiary sector (specialist clinics) of German ophthalmology. From this, the need to develop new control and triage mechanisms for ophthalmology can be derived.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Retrospectively, > 140,000 emergency treatment cases at the University Eye Hospital Tübingen in the period from 1 January 2010 to 31 December 2023 were analyzed. Sub-analyses were conducted to quantify the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and differences between weekend and weekday visits. In addition, a questionnaire survey on the referral status of emergency consultations at off-peak times and at weekends was conducted in 2022.

RESULTS

The number of emergency consultations more than doubled between 2010 and 2023 and more than tripled at weekends. The peak load, which is relevant for guaranteeing treatment, has increased to the same extent. In the long term, a shift in emergency treatment from core to off-peak times can be observed, particularly at weekends. The majority of consultations (up to 87%) take place without a referral from a doctor. In 2023, the treatment figures returned to the level before the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

DISCUSSION

The emergency outpatient clinic at the University Eye Hospital is increasingly exposed to a double burden: providing treatment for emergency cases with specialist referrals and at the same time acting as a catchment basin for general emergencies. New control and triage mechanisms are urgently needed to ensure good care in the long term.

Health care utilization of patients with acute abdominal pain before and after emergency department visits

BACKGROUND

Acute abdominal pain (AAP) is a major driver for capacity-use in emergency departments (EDs) worldwide. Yet, the health care utilization of patients with AAP before and after the ED remains unclear. The primary objective of this study was to describe adult patients presenting to the ED with AAP and their outpatient care (OC) use before and after the ED. Secondary objectives included description of hospitalization rates, in-hospital mortality, ED re-visits, and exploration of potential risk factors for hospitalization and ED re-visits.

METHODS

For the analysis, we combined routine hospital data from patients who visited 15 EDs in Germany in 2016 with their statutory health insurance OC claims data from 2014 to 2017. Adult patients were included based on a chief complaint or an ED diagnosis indicating unspecific AAP or the Manchester Triage System indicator "Abdominal pain in adults". Baseline characteristics, ED diagnosis, frequency and reason of hospitalization, frequency and type of prior-OC (prOC) use up to 3 days before and of post-OC use up to 30 days after the ED visit.

MAIN RESULTS

We identified 28,085 adults aged ≥ 20 years with AAP. 39.8% were hospitalized, 33.9% sought prOC before the ED visit (48.6% of them were hospitalized) and 62.7% sought post-OC up to 30 days after the ED visit. Hospitalization was significantly more likely for elderly patients (aged 65 and above vs. younger; adjusted OR 3.05 [95% CI 2.87; 3.25]), prOC users (1.71 [1.61; 1.90]) and men (1.44 [1.37; 1.52]). In-hospital mortality rate was 3.1% overall. Re-visiting the ED within 30 days was more likely for elderly patients (1.32 [1.13; 1.55) and less likely for those with prOC use (0.37 [0.31; 0.44]).

CONCLUSIONS

prOC use was associated with more frequent hospitalizations but fewer ED re-visits. ED visits by prOC patients without subsequent hospitalization may indicate difficulties of OC resources to meet the complex diagnostic requirements and expectations of this patient population. Fewer ED re-visits in prOC users indicate effective care in this subgroup.

Emergency department visits as a potential opportunity to promote primary care attachment and modify utilization patterns - results of a pilot study in Berlin, Germany

BACKGROUND

Utilization by low acuity patients contributes to emergency department (ED) crowding. Both knowledge deficits about adequate care levels and access barriers in primary care are important promoters of such presentations. Concurrently, not having a general practitioner (GP) increases the likelihood of low-acuity ED utilization. This pilot study thus investigated feasibility, acceptance, and potential effects of an ED-delivered intervention for low-acuity patients with no regular primary care provider, consisting of an educational leaflet on acute care options and an optional GP appointment scheduling service.

METHODS

Low-acuity ED consulters not attached to a GP were given an information leaflet about alternative care offers for acute health problems and offered optional personal appointment scheduling at a local GP practice. Patients were surveyed on demographics, medical characteristics, health care utilization, valuation of the intervention, and reasons for not being attached to a GP and visiting the ED. A follow-up survey was conducted after twelve months. Trends in health and health care utilization were evaluated.

RESULTS

Between December 2020 and April 2022, n = 160 patients were enrolled, n = 114 were followed up. The study population was characterized by young age (mean 30.6 years) and predominantly good general health. Besides good health, personal mobility was a central reason for not being attached to a GP, but general preference for specialists and bad experiences with primary care were also mentioned. Most frequently stated motives for the ED consultation were subjective distress and anxiety, a belief in the superiority of the hospital, and access problems in primary care. The interventional offers were favorably valued, 52.5% (n = 84) accepted the GP appointment scheduling service offer. At follow-up, GP utilization had significantly increased, while there were no significant changes regarding utilization of other providers, including ED. An additional practice survey showed a 63.0% take-up rate for the appointment service.

CONCLUSIONS

With this pilot study, we were able to show that a personalized appointment scheduling service seems to be a promising approach to promote GP attachment and increase primary care utilization in patients without a regular GP in a highly urbanized setting. Further larger-scale studies are needed to investigate potential quantitative effects on ED visits.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

German Clinical Trials Register (DRKS00023480); date 2020/11/27.

[Characteristics of older versus younger emergency patients : Analysis of over 356,000 visits from the AKTIN German emergency department data registry]

BACKGROUND

This nationwide study aims to analyze age-specific differences and characteristics of emergency patients with a special focus on older patients.

METHOD

In 2019, data were obtained from 11 emergency departments (EDs), all part of the German Emergency Department Data (AKTIN) registry. All patients 18 years and older visiting the EDs were included. In addition to demographic data, variables such as referral, type of transport, primary assessment, diagnoses, length of stay and type of transfer were recorded and compared by age group and specifically by younger (18-64 years) and older patients (65+ years).

RESULTS

Data from 356,354 patients (39.1% were aged 65+ years) were included. Compared to younger patients, older ED patients were more likely to be accompanied by emergency medical services (15.4 vs. 34.3%) and almost twice as often by an emergency physician (6.4 vs. 12.2%). The need for treatment increased with age; 47.1% of younger and 66.1% of older people were classified as yellow, orange or red. The proportion of patients with internal diseases was higher for patients 65+ years (22.5 vs. 38.8%). Older patients were more often hospitalized (27.5 vs. 60.3%) and were more frequently transferred to an intensive care unit (4.5 vs. 11.9%).

CONCLUSION

About 40% of adult emergency patients are 65+ years. They require more urgent treatment and are more often hospitalized than younger patients. In older patients, internal diseases were more common.

Synergism of an Urgent Care Walk-in Clinic With an Emergency Department

BACKGROUND

The overutilization of hospital emergency departments by low-urgency patients is seen as a growing problem in health-care delivery, and a variety of solutions are under discussion. We studied the change in utilization of a hospital emergency department (ED) by low-urgency patients after an urgent care walk-in clinic (WIC) was opened in the immediate vicinity.

METHODS

A prospective, single-center pre-post comparative study was carried out at the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE). The ED patient collective consisted of adult walk-in patients who presented to the ED between 4 pm and midnight. The "pre" period consisted of August and September 2019, and the "post" period was from November 2019 (after the opening of the WIC) to January 2020.

RESULTS

The study patients consisted of 4765 ED walk-in patients and 1201 WIC patients. 956 (80.5%) of the WIC patients had been referred onward to the WIC after initially presenting to the ED; from this group, 790 patients (82.6%) received definitive care in the WIC. The number of outpatients treated in the ED fell by 37.3% (95% confidence interval [30.9; 43.8]), from 851.5 to 536.7 per month. The most marked decreases were in the areas of dermatology (from 62.5 to 14.3 patients per month), neurology (45.5 to 25), ophthalmology (115 to 64.7), and trauma surgery (211 to 128.7). No decrease was seen in urology, psychiatry, or gynecology. For patients presenting without any referral document, the mean length of stay fell by a mean of 17.6 [7.4; 27.8] minutes from its "pre" value of 172.3 minutes. The rate of patients who left during treatment fell from 76.5 to 28.3 patients per month (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

A GP-led urgent care walk-in clinic next door to an interdisciplinary hospital emergency department is a resource-saving treatment option for walk-in patients who present to the emergency department. Most of the patients referred from the ED to the WIC were able to receive definitive care there.

Inanspruchnahme der Notfallversorgung im Nordwesten Deutschlands

Hintergrund

Mangelnde Kenntnisse über die Zuständigkeiten der Notfallversorgung führen zu einem höheren Bedarf an Ressourcen in der Notfallrettung. Die vorliegende Studie untersucht, ob sich die Inanspruchnahme und das Verhalten in Notfällen nach soziodemografischen Faktoren unterscheiden lassen.

Methodik

Von Januar bis Juli 2021 wurde eine anonyme schriftliche Befragung von über 4000 Besuchern des Oldenburger Impfzentrums durchgeführt. Der Fragebogen umfasste allgemeine Fragen zur Inanspruchnahme der Notfallversorgung sowie Fragen zur Selbsteinschätzung des eigenen Verhaltens in Notfällen und die Frage nach der Rufnummer des ärztlichen Bereitschaftsdiensts. Alter, Geschlecht und höchster Schulabschluss wurden ebenfalls erfasst. Sonderimpftage für medizinisch-pflegerisches Personal ermöglichten eine gesonderte Betrachtung der Stichprobe.

Ergebnisse

Weibliche Befragte hatten häufiger Kontakt zum ärztlichen Bereitschaftsdienst (19,6 % bzw. 15,6 %), jüngere Befragte suchten häufiger die Notaufnahme aus Eigeninitiative auf (72,1 % bzw. 13,2 %). Bei Schlaganfallsymptomen würden sich 10 % der Befragten mit höherem Schulabschluss und 25 % der Befragten mit niedrigem Schulabschluss zuerst an den Hausarzt wenden. Die Rufnummer des ärztlichen Bereitschaftsdiensts konnten 54,7 % des medizinisch-pflegerischen Personals korrekt wiedergeben. Im Notfall konnten sich 76,4 % aller Befragten eine erste ärztliche Beratung per Telefon oder Video vorstellen.

Diskussion

Soziodemografische Faktoren wirken sich auf die Nutzung der Ressourcen der Notfallrettung aus. Aufklärungsaktionen, frühzeitige Wissensvermittlung, ein gemeinsames Notfallleitsystem sowie eine telemedizinische Beratung bei niedrigschwelligen Einsätzen könnten zu einer Entlastung des Gesundheitssystems beitragen.

Allgemeinmedizinische Behandlungsfälle in einer universitären Notaufnahme vor und nach Einführung eines strukturierten Ersteinschätzungssystems

Hintergrund

In einer universitären Notaufnahme werden Patienten mit niedriger Behandlungsdringlichkeit und allgemeinmedizinisch-internistischen Beschwerden werktags durch Allgemeinärzte versorgt. Zur Festlegung der Behandlungsdringlichkeit wurde der Emergency Severity Index (ESI) eingeführt.

Ziel der Arbeit

Ziel war es, die Auswirkung der ESI-Einführung auf die Zusammensetzung des allgemeinmedizinischen Patientenkollektivs zu untersuchen sowie die Verteilung der ESI-Kategorien bei diesen Patienten darzustellen.

Methodik

Vergleich der allgemeinmedizinisch versorgten Patienten je 6 Monate vor (t0) und nach (t1) ESI-Einführung basierend auf Routinedaten und einem vom Allgemeinarzt auszufüllenden Erhebungsbogen. Die Analyse erfolgte deskriptiv und mittels χ2-Test bzw. t‑Test.

Ergebnisse

Es wurden 615 Behandlungsfälle in t0 und 751 Fälle in t1 ausgewertet. Dabei zeigten sich keine signifikanten Unterschiede hinsichtlich des Alters, des Geschlechts, des Anteils der mit ärztlicher Einweisung vorstelligen Patienten oder der stationären Aufnahmen. Die ESI-Einstufung erfolgte überwiegend in die niedrigen Dringlichkeitskategorien ESI 5 (37 %) und ESI 4 (46 %), bei 8 % der Patienten in ESI 3 bzw. 2. Der prognostizierte Ressourcenbedarf stimmte für 76 % der Patienten in ESI 5, für 36 % in ESI 4 und für 44 % der Patienten in ESI 3 überein. Für 3 % der ESI-5-Patienten und 7 % der ESI-4-Patienten war eine stationäre Aufnahme erforderlich.

Diskussion

Auch bei niedriger Behandlungsdringlichkeit kann eine stationäre Aufnahme indiziert sein, zudem weisen Abweichungen vom prognostizierten Ressourcenbedarf auf Triagierungsprobleme im untersuchten Patientenkollektiv hin. Zur Steuerung von Patienten in Versorgungsstrukturen außerhalb der Notaufnahme scheint die ESI-Ersteinschätzung nicht geeignet.

Apart from the Medical Complaints, Why do Patients Use Emergency Medical Services? Results of a Patient Survey

INTRODUCTION

Many countries face an increased use of emergency medical services (EMS) with a decreasing percentage of life-threatening complaints. Though there is a broad discussion among experts about the cause, patients' self-perceived, non-medical reasons for using EMS remain largely unknown.

METHODS

The written survey included EMS patients who had≥1 case of prehospital emergency care in 2016. Four German health insurance companies sent out postal questionnaires to 1312 insured patients. The response rate was 20%; 254 questionnaires were eligible for descriptive and interferential analyses (t-tests, chi2-tests, logistic models).

RESULTS

The majority of respondents indicated that their EMS use was due to an emergency or someone else's decision (≥84%; multiple checks allowed); 56% gave need for a quick transport as a reason. Other frequently stated reasons addressed the health care system (e. g., complaints outside of physicians' opening hours) and insecurity/anxiety about one's state of health (>45% of the respondents). "Social factors" were similarly important (e. g., 42% affirming, "No one could give me a ride to the emergency department or doctor's office."). Every fifth person had contact with other emergency care providers prior to EMS use. Respondents negating an emergency as a reason were less likely to confirm wanting immediate medical care on site or quick transports compared to those affirming an emergency. Patients using EMS at night more often denied having an emergency compared to patients with access to care during the day.

CONCLUSION

The study identified a bundle of reasons leading to EMS use apart from medical complaints. Attempts for needs-oriented EMS use should essentially include optimization of the health care and social support system and measures to reduce patients' insecurity.

Immobilität als Grund der Vorstellung in einer Krankenhausnotaufnahme?

Hintergrund

Die zunehmende Belastung von Krankenhausnotaufnahmen (KHN) durch wenig dringliche Patienten wirft Fragen nach Fehlsteuerungen bzw. Versorgungsdefiziten in anderen Bereichen auf.

Methode

Retrospektive Datenanalyse einer Zufallsstichprobe aus allen Fällen des Jahres 2019 zweier KHN in einer Metropolregion. Wir untersuchten Patienten, die ambulant versorgt, aber mit einem Krankentransportmittel (KT) wieder aus der Notaufnahme abtransportiert wurden.

Ergebnisse

1500 Patienten (767 [51,1 %] weiblich; Alter 56 ± 22,7 Jahre) aus einer Grundgesamtheit von 80.845 Patienten wurden analysiert. 888 (59,2 %) wurden ambulant versorgt. Jeweils 9 (0,5 %), 193 (12,9 %), 684 (45,6 %), 508 (33,9 %) und 48 (3,2 %) waren den Manchester-Triage-System-Kategorien Rot, Orange, Gelb, Grün bzw. Blau zugeordnet. Von 880 ambulanten Patienten wurden 731 (83,2 %) selbstständig und 149 (16,8 %) mit einem KT entlassen. Über die Hälfte der per KT entlassenen Patienten war mit urologischen Problemen, Extremitätenproblemen und nach Stürzen vorgestellt worden. Die liegend transportierten ambulant versorgten Patienten hatten ein höheres Alter (76,2 ± 16,2 vs. 45,1 ± 20,5 Jahre; p < 0,001), einen höheren Charlson Comorbidity Index (5 [3–6] vs. 0 [0–2]; p < 0,001), erhielten seltener eine CT-Diagnostik und häufiger lediglich eine einfache medizinische Maßnahme ohne diagnostischen Aufwand (24,8 % vs. 4,6 %; p < 0,001). Sie wurden zu einem größeren Anteil mehrfach vorgestellt (28,9 % vs. 8,5 %; p < 0,001). Der Anteil an Heimbewohnern war höher (59,5 % vs. 0 %; p < 0,001).

Schlussfolgerung

Etwa ein Zehntel der insgesamt in den KHN versorgten Patienten blieb ambulant und wurde mit einem KT entlassen. Mehr als die Hälfte wurde aus stationären Pflegeeinrichtungen vorgestellt. Ein Großteil erhielt einfache Leistungen und kaum Diagnostik und hatte eine niedrige Triagedringlichkeit.

Integrierte Versorgung von Rettungsdienstpatienten. Konsentierte Empfehlungen für optimale Prozesse und Strukturen

Hintergrund

Das vom Innovationsfonds geförderte Projekt „Integrierte Notfallversorgung: Rettungsdienst im Fokus“ (Inno_RD) bringt anhand datenbasierter Analysen Handlungsempfehlungen zur Verbesserung der (Notfall‑)Versorgung in den Diskurs zum Gesetzentwurf zur Reformierung der Notfallversorgung ein.

Methoden

Die Handlungsempfehlungen (HE) basieren auf Analysen von drei Fokusgruppen mit Experten der Notfallversorgung, auf Rettungsdienst- und Krankenkassendaten und einer schriftlichen Patientenbefragung. Im Rahmen einer anschließenden Online-Befragung wurden 55 Aussagen (davon 35 HE und 20 vertiefende Statements) zwei getrennten Gruppen, d. h. den Fokusgruppenteilnehmern („purposive sampling“) und weiteren Experten der Notfallversorgung („convenience sample“ mit gesondertem Befragungslink) vorgelegt. Die Teilnehmer wurden gebeten, die Empfehlungen zu bewerten. 442 Fragebögen wurden für die Analyse berücksichtigt.

Ergebnisse

Alle 55 Aussagen wurden von beiden Gruppen mehrheitlich positiv bewertet (≥50 % Zustimmung), d. h. 19 Aussagen für den Bereich Leitstelle, 14 für Patientenversorger, 19 zur Dokumentation und Evaluation sowie drei HE, die die Bevölkerung adressieren. Vorschläge für die Leitstellen und die Dokumentation und Evaluation von Einsätzen wurden überwiegend mit starkem Konsens (>95 %) und Empfehlungen für den Bereich bevölkerungsbezogene HE und Patientenversorger mehrheitlich mit Konsens (>75–95 %) bewertet.

Schlussfolgerung

Die Aussagen fanden bei den an der Umfrage teilnehmenden Experten große Zustimmung. Die Empfehlungen sollten im Diskurs zur Organisation und Qualitätssicherung der Notfallversorgung berücksichtigt werden.

[Emergency medical service, medical on-call service, or emergency department : Germans unsure whom to contact in acute medical events]

BACKGROUND

In medical events, patients have to independently decide whom to contact: emergency medical services, medical on-call service or emergency department.

OBJECTIVES

Are Germans able to assess the urgency of medical events and choose the correct resource?

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In 2018 a nationwide anonymous telephone survey was done in Gabler-Haeder design. In all, 708 interviewees were presented with six medical scenarios. Participants were asked to rate urgency and to assess whether medical help was necessary within minutes to hours. Telephone numbers of emergency medical services and medical on-call service were inquired.

RESULTS

Urgency of different scenarios was often misjudged: in cases with high, medium, and low urgency the misjudgement rate were 20, 50, and 27%, respectively. If medical help was rated as necessary, some participants chose the wrong service: 25% would not call an ambulance in stroke or myocardial infarction. In cases with medium urgency, more respondents chose to consult an emergency department (38%) than to call medical on-call service (46%).

CONCLUSIONS

Knowledge regarding different options for treatment of medical events and competence to assess urgency seem to be too low. Beside efforts to increase health literacy, one solution might be to introduce a joint telephone number for emergency medical services and medical on-call service with a uniform assessment tool and appropriate allocation.

Allgemeinmedizin in der Notaufnahme – Welche Patienten? Welche Beschwerden?

Hintergrund

Vor dem Hintergrund des zunehmenden Anteils ambulant verbleibender Patienten wurde die Fachdisziplin Allgemeinmedizin in die zentrale Notaufnahme (ZNA) einer Universitätsklinik integriert. In der ZNA werden der Allgemeinmedizin diejenigen Patienten zugewiesen, die sich mit Beratungsanlässen aus dem allgemeinmedizinischen Spektrum vorstellen sowie bei Ersteinschätzung eine niedrige Behandlungsdringlichkeit aufweisen. Ziel war es, diese Patienten hinsichtlich ihrer Beratungsanlässe zu charakterisieren.

Methodik

Deskriptive Auswertung auf Basis der klinischen Routinedaten sowie eines selbst entwickelten Erhebungsbogens.

Ergebnisse

Etwa 80 % der Patienten suchten die Notaufnahme ohne ärztliche Einweisung auf. Die fünf häufigsten Beratungsanlässe waren Bauchschmerzen, Rückenschmerzen, Brustschmerzen, Schmerzen der unteren Extremitäten sowie Übelkeit und/oder Erbrechen. Bei knapp 25 % der Patienten setzten die Beschwerden erst am Tag der Vorstellung ein, bei etwa 33 % bestanden diese seit mehr als einer Woche. Die Hälfte der Patienten war wegen der Beschwerden bereits in ambulanter ärztlicher Behandlung, bei Patienten mit einer Beschwerdedauer von länger als einer Woche lag dieser Anteil bei mehr als 80 %. Patienten mit den Beratungsanlässen Fieber oder Verschlechterung des Allgemeinzustands wurden anteilig am häufigsten stationär aufgenommen. Von den Selbstzuweisern konnten knapp 94 % in die ambulante Versorgung entlassen werden.

Diskussion

Patienten suchen auch mit nichtakuten Beschwerden und trotz vorangegangener ambulanter ärztlicher Behandlung die Notaufnahme auf. Die häufigsten Beratungsanlässe allgemeinmedizinisch versorgter Patienten in der ZNA decken sich nur zum Teil mit denen der hausärztlichen Versorgung.

[Assessment of validity of the German version of the Manchester Triage System]

BACKGROUND

The Manchester Triage System (MTS) was first introduced in 1996. Since then, the original English MTS version has undergone multiple evaluations of its validity and reliability. Due to translation and differing algorithms, only contradictory data regarding accuracy are available for the German MTS version. The aim of this study was to assess the validity of the current German version of the MTS in a retrospective observational setting.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

All surgical and medical patients presenting at the emergency department of an Austrian regional hospital between 1 and 30 July 2020 were included in this study. Data of vital parameters at the time of triage, overall hospitalisation rate, length of hospitalisation, mortality rate as well as referral and discharge modalities were collected.

RESULTS

A total of 773 patients were included in the study after primary triage. There was a significant correlation between risk level and both hospitalisation rate (p < 0.001) and the length of hospitalisation (p = 0.001). Interestingly, this correlation was lower in patients over 70 years (r² = 0.101 vs. 0.045). Vital signs and mortality rate did not correlate significantly with the initial risk level. The average time for one triage process was 2.1 ± 3.9 min.

CONCLUSION

The German version of the MTS shows good correlation with central risk surrogates, but this correlation is weaker in the subgroup of elderly patients. As the original English version, it does not predict long-term mortality. In clinical practice, the German version of the MTS is as good as the original version in enabling the urgency of treatment to be rapidly assessed so that resource allocation can be optimised.

INDEED-Utilization and Cross-Sectoral Patterns of Care for Patients Admitted to Emergency Departments in Germany: Rationale and Study Design

Introduction: The crowding of emergency departments (ED) has been a growing problem for years, putting the care of critically ill patients increasingly at risk. The INDEED project's overall aim is to get a better understanding of ED utilization and to evaluate corresponding primary health care use patterns before and after an ED visit while driving forward processes and methods of cross-sectoral data merging. We aim to identify adequate utilization of EDs and potentially avoidable patient contacts as well as subgroups and clusters of patients with similar care profiles.

Methods: INDEED is a joint endeavor bringing together research institutions and hospitals with EDs in Germany. It is headed by the Charité–Universitätsmedizin Berlin, collaborating with Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg, Technische Universität Berlin, the Central Research Institute of Ambulatory/Outpatient Health Care in Germany (Zi), and the AOK Research Institute as part of the Federal Association of AOK, as well as experts in the technological, legal, and regulatory aspects of medical research (TMF). The Institute for Information Technology (OFFIS) was involved as the trusted third party of the project. INDEED is a retrospective study of approximately 400,000 adult patients with statutory health insurance who visited the ED of one of 16 participating hospitals in 2016. The routine hospital data contain information about treatment in the ED and, if applicable, about the subsequent hospital stay. After merging the patients' hospital data from 2016 with their outpatient billing data from 2 years before to 1 year after the ED visit (years 2014–2017), a harmonized dataset will be generated for data analyses. Due to the complex data protection challenges involved, first results will be available in 2021.

Discussion: INDEED will provide knowledge on extracting and harmonizing large scale data from varying routine ED and hospital information systems in Germany. Merging these data with the corresponding outpatient care data of patients offers the opportunity to characterize the patient's treatment in outpatient care before and after ED use. With this knowledge, appropriate interventions may be developed to ensure adequate patient care and to avoid adverse events such as ED crowding.