This study aimed to determine if GP telephone triage can effectively reduce the demand for face-to-face consultations for patients seeking same-day appointments in general practice.
Methodology
- Interrupted time series analysis
- Two years before and one year after introducing GP-led telephone triage
Key Findings
- Demand for face-to-face GP appointments reduced by 39%
- Over 92% of telephone calls lasted less than 5 minutes
- Telephone bill increased by 26%
- For a substantial proportion of patients, telephone consultations were an acceptable alternative service
In summary, GP telephone triage effectively reduced the demand for same-day face-to-face consultations in general practice.