Baseline characteristics
| Baseline period (n=422) | Intervention period (n=378) | All (n=800) | |
| Sex | |||
| Male | 216 (51.2%) | 211 (55.8%) | 427 (53.4%) |
| Female | 206 (48.8%) | 167 (44.2%) | 373 (46.6%) |
| Age (years), mean (SD) | 55.2 (18.8) | 56.7 (19.2) | 55.9 (19.0) |
| Hospital | |||
| University hospital 1 | 268 (63.5%) | 241 (63.8%) | 509 (63.6%) |
| University hospital 2 | 154 (36.5%) | 137 (36.2%) | 291 (36.4%) |
| Specialism | |||
| Gastroenterology | 26 (6.2%) | 25 (6.6%) | 51 (6.4%) |
| Geriatrics | 8 (1.9%) | 17 (4.5%) | 25 (3.1%) |
| Internal medicine | 246 (58.3%) | 220 (58.2%) | 466 (58.2%) |
| Oncology | 119 (28.2%) | 97 (25.7%) | 216 (27.0%) |
| Other | 23 (5.5%) | 19 (5.0%) | 42 (5.3%) |
| Hospitalised 3 months before ED visit | 112 (26.5%) | 122 (32.3%) | 234 (29.3%) |
| Outpatient care for internal medicine 1 year before presentation at the ED | 300 (71.1%) | 279 (73.8%) | 579 (72.4%) |
| Nursing home resident | 12 (2.8%) | 10 (2.6%) | 22 (2.8%) |
| Charlson Comorbidity Index24 | |||
| 0 | 141 (33.4%) | 125 (33.1%) | 266 (33.3%) |
| 1 | 58 (13.7%) | 54 (14.3%) | 112 (14.0%) |
| 2 | 82 (19.4%) | 92 (24.3%) | 174 (21.8%) |
| ≥3 | 141 (33.4%) | 107 (28.3%) | 248 (31.0%) |
| High MEWS score (total score ≥5 or any single physiological parameter scored +3)* | 38 (9.0%) | 17 (4.5%) | 55 (6.9%) |
| Reason for emergency department visit | |||
| Cardiovascular | 30 (7.1%) | 25 (6.6%) | 55 (6.9%) |
| Endocrine | 37 (8.8%) | 22 (5.8%) | 59 (7.4%) |
| Gastrointestinal | 66 (15.6%) | 72 (19.0%) | 138 (17.3%) |
| Infectious | 112 (26.5%) | 104 (27.5%) | 216 (27.0%) |
| Respiratory | 37 (7.8%) | 24 (6.3%) | 61 (7.6%) |
| Nephrology | 33 (7.8%) | 21 (5.6%) | 54 (6.8%) |
| Oncology or haematology | 56 (13.3%) | 64 (16.9%) | 120 (15.0%) |
| Other | 51 (12.1%) | 46 (12.2%) | 97 (12.1%) |
| Hospitalisation | 200 (47.4%) | 191 (50.5%) | 391 (48.9%) |
Data are n (%).
*P value<0.05.
ED, emergency department; MEWS, Modified Early Warning System.