Patient presentations to an after-hours general practice, an urgent care clinic and an emergency department on Sundays: a comparative, observational study

The purpose of this paper is to determine which factors are associated with 6,065 patient presentations with non-life-threatening urgent conditions (NLTUCs) to an after-hours general practice, an urgent care clinic (UCC) and an emergency department (ED) on Sundays in Southeast Queensland (Qld).

A retrospective, comparative and observational study was conducted involving the auditing of medical records of patients with NLTUCs consulting three medical services between 0,800 and 1,700 h, on Sundays, over a one-year period. The study was limited to 6,065 patients.

There were statistically significant differences in choice of location according to age, number of postcodes from the patient's residence, time of the day, season, patient presentations for infection and injury, non-infectious, non-injurious conditions of the circulatory, gastrointestinal and genitourinary systems, and need for imaging, pathology, plastering/back-slab application, splinting and wound closure. Older adults were more likely to be admitted to the hospital and Ed Short Stay Unit, compared with other age groups.

Based on international models of UCC healthcare systems in United Kingdom (UK), USA and New Zealand (NZ) and the results of this study, it is recommended that UCCs in Australia have extended hours, walk-in availability, access to on-site radiology, ability to treat fractures and wounds and staffing by medical practitioners able to manage these conditions. Recommendations also include setting a national standard for UCC operation (National Urgent Care Centre Accreditation, 2018; NHS, 2020; RNZCUC, 2015) and requirements for vocational registration for medical practitioners (National Urgent Care Centre Accreditation, 2018; RNZCUC, 2015; The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, 2021a, b).

This study has highlighted three key areas for future research: first, research involving general practitioners (GPs), emergency physicians, urgent care physicians, nurse practitioners, urgent care pharmacists and paramedics could help to predict the type of patients more accurately, patient presentations and associated comorbidities that might be encouraged to attend or be diverted to Urgent Care Clinics. Second, larger studies of more facilities and more patients could improve the accuracy and generalisability of the findings. Lastly, studies of public health messaging need to be undertaken to determine how best to encourage patients with NLTUCs (especially infections and injuries) to present to UCCs.

The Urgent Care Clinic model has existed in developed countries since 1973. The adoption of this model in Australia close to a patient's home, open extended hours and with onsite radiology could provide a community option, to ED, for NLTUCs (especially patient presentations with infections and injuries).

This study reviewed three types of medical facilities for the management of NLTUCs. They were an after-hours general practice, an urgent care clinic and an emergency department. This study found that the patient choice of destination depends on the ability of the service to manage their NLTUCs, patient age, type of condition, postcodes lived away from the facility, availability of testing and provision of consumables. This study also provides recommendations for the development of an urgent care healthcare system in Australia based on international models and includes requirements for extended hours, walk-in availability, radiology on-site, national standard and national requirements for vocational registration for medical professionals.