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-emerge ncy patients, in a suburban accident and emergency (A&E) department using a n informal triage system, differs significantly from care provided by usual A&E staff. One thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight patients participa ted, By comparison with usual A&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&E de partment utilize similar or more resources than usual A&E staff. It emphasi zes the need for the continued audit of initiatives that have been introduc ed into new settings.