Randomized controlled trial of general practitioner versus usual medical care in a suburban accident and emergency department using an informal triage system

We determined if care provided by general practitioners (GPs) to non-emergency patients, in a suburban accident and emergency (A and E) department using an informal triage system, differs significantly from care provided by usual A and E staff. One thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight patients participated. By comparison with usual A and E staff, GPs prescribed significantly more often (percentage relative difference [% RD] = 12 [95% confidence interval = 1-23]) and referred more patients to hospital (% RD = 21 [95% CI = 9-33]). This is the first study to report that sessional GPs working in an A and E department utilize similar or more resources than usual A and E staff. It emphasizes the need for the continued audit of initiatives that have been introduced into new settings.