Informing Low-acuity Emergency Department Patients of Non-emergent Healthcare Resources Following Discharge to Decrease Emergency Department Utilization (2)

What this Trial Is About

This research aims to reduce unnecessary visits to emergency departments (ED) by studying how outreach messages after a low-acuity ED visit affect patient behavior. The trial focuses on patients discharged from a Geisinger ED with a low-acuity visit designation and compares different outreach methods to see if they influence return visits within 120 days. The study evaluates whether encouraging patients to contact their primary care provider or use an Intelligent Triage tool changes ED utilization compared to usual care. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of three groups: one receiving usual care without additional outreach, one receiving messages encouraging them to contact their primary care provider, and one receiving messages promoting the use of an Intelligent Triage tool. Outreach includes a text message the day after discharge and updated information on the patient’s after visit summary. The intervention content varies slightly depending on whether patients have a Geisinger primary care provider. Throughout the study, researchers will track whether patients return to the Geisinger ED within 120 days after discharge and if they follow the recommended actions in the outreach messages. The trial will monitor and compare ED use across the different outreach conditions. Participants’ communication preferences and contact information will be used to ensure proper delivery of messages. The total duration of follow-up for each participant is 120 days post-discharge.

Informing Low-acuity Emergency Department Patients of Non-emergent Resources (2)