Remote Emergency Departments Research Articles

Association of emergency department characteristics with presence of recommended pediatric-specific behavioral health policies.

In the United States, pediatric emergency department (ED) visits for behavioral health (BH) are increasing. We sought to determine ED-level characteristics associated with having recommended BH-related policies. We conducted a retrospective serial cross-sectional study of National Pediatric Readiness Project assessments administered to US EDs in 2013 and 2021. Changes in responses related to BH items over time were examined. Multivariable logistic regression models examined ED characteristics associated with the presence of specific BH-related policies in 2021. Of 3554 EDs that completed assessments in 2021, 73.0% had BH-related policies, 66.5% had transfer guidelines for children with BH issues, and 38.6% had access to BH resources in a disaster. Of 2570 EDs that completed assessments in both 2013 and 2021, presence of specific BH-related policies increased from 48.6% to 72.0% and presence of appropriate transfer guidelines increased from 56.2% to 64.9%. The adjusted odd ratios (aORs) of having specific BH-related policies were lower in rural (aOR 0.73; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.57, 0.92) and remote EDs (aOR 0.65; 95% CI 0.48, 0.88) compared to urban EDs; lower among EDs with versus without trauma center designation (aOR 0.80; 95% CI 0.67, 0.95); and higher among EDs with a nurse and physician pediatric emergency care coordinator (PECC) (aOR 1.89; 95% CI 1.54, 2.33) versus those without a PECC. Although pediatric readiness for BH conditions increased from 2013 to 2021, gaps remain, particularly among rural EDs and designated trauma centers. Having nurse and physician PECCs is a modifiable strategy to increase ED pediatric readiness pertaining to BH.

Discharge against medical advice in rural and remote emergency departments: views of healthcare providers.

The aim of the study was to explore, in one remote hospital, emergency department healthcare providers' experience and perceptions of the factors surrounding a patient's decision to discharge against medical advice (DAMA). The secondary objective was to gain insight into staff experiences of the current protocols for managing DAMA cases and explore their recommendations for reducing DAMA incidence. This was a cross-sectional study involving a survey and semi-structured interviews exploring healthcare providers' (n=19) perceptions of factors perceived to be influencing DAMA, current practice for managing DAMA and recommendations for practice improvements. Health professionals (doctors, nurses, Aboriginal Health Workers) all worked in the emergency department of a remote community hospital, Queensland, Australia. Responses relating to influencing factors for DAMA were provided on a three-point rating scale from 'no influence/little influence' to 'very strong influence'. DAMA management protocol responses were a three-point rating scale from 'rarely/never' to 'always'. Semi-structured interviews were conducted after the survey and explored participants' perceptions in greater detail and current DAMA management protocol. Feedback from the total of 19 participants across the professions presented four prominent yet interconnected themes: patient, culture, health service and health provider, and health literacy and education-related factors. Factors that were perceived to have a strong influence on DAMA events included alcohol and drug abuse (100%), a lack of culturally sensitive healthcare services (94.7%), and family commitments or obligations (89.5%). Healthcare provider recommendations for preventing DAMA presented themes of right communication, culturally safe care (right place, right time) and the right staff to support DAMA prevention. The healthcare providers described the pivotal role the Indigenous Liaison Officer (ILO) plays and the importance of this position being filled. DAMA is a multifaceted issue, influenced by both personal and hospital system-related factors. Participants agreed that the presence of ILO and/or Aboriginal Health Workers in the emergency department may reduce DAMA occurrences for Indigenous Australians who are disproportionately represented in DAMA rates, particularly in rural and remote regions of Australia.

Creative Resource Utilization in Rural Settings

Cholecystostomy tubes are an established treatment option for patients with acute cholecystitis who are considered high risk for cholecystectomy. This is typically done as an interventional radiology procedure through a pigtail catheter inserted percutaneously. A 63-year-old diabetic male presented to our remote Emergency Department in rural North-Western Victoria (Modified Monash Model 4), with severe, stabbing epigastric pain. Despite normal bloods and imaging, the patient became progressively unwell necessitating a diagnostic laparoscopy and open conversion, which revealed acute acalculous gangrenous cholecystitis. A cholecystectomy was attempted and subsequently abandoned as safe dissection within Calot's triangle, without damaging biliary structures, was not possible. Based on the limited available resources at our rural center, a urinary (Foley) catheter was placed in the gallbladder and Hartmann's pouch sutured around it to act as a temporizng cholecystostomy tube while awaiting transfer to a tertiary center. The Foley catheter was removed after 6 weeks with no further intervention required with the patient making a full recovery. Compared to patients in urban areas, rural residents are more likely to experience health-care disadvantages, including increased likelihood to undergo procedures by specialists operating outside of their scope of practice and higher rates of emergency-related intensive care unit admissions. Despite this, and regardless of acuity, specialist availability, or resource distribution, patients will continue to present to rural services with serious medical issues. In such situations and in resource-poor settings, creative solutions are required to temporize ill patients, as we have reported, and represent an important facet of care in a rural setting.

Effectiveness of Telehealth in Rural and Remote Emergency Departments: Systematic Review.

BackgroundEmergency telehealth has been used to improve access of patients residing in rural and remote areas to specialist care in the hope of mitigating the significant health disparities that they experience. Patient disposition decisions in rural and remote emergency departments (EDs) can be complex and largely dependent on the expertise and experience available at local (receiving-end) hospitals. Although there has been some synthesis of evidence of the effectiveness of emergency telehealth in clinical practice in rural and remote EDs for nonacute presentations, there has been limited evaluation of the influence of contextual factors such as clinical area and acuity of presentation on these findings.ObjectiveThe aims of this systematic review are to examine the outcome measures used in studying the effectiveness of telehealth in rural and remote EDs and to analyze the clinical context in which these outcome measures were used and interpreted.MethodsThe search strategy used Medical Subject Headings and equivalent lists of subject descriptors to find articles covering 4 key domains: telehealth or telemedicine, EDs, effectiveness, and rural and remote. Studies were selected using the Population, Intervention, Comparator, Outcomes of Interest, and Study Design framework. This search strategy was applied to MEDLINE (Ovid), Cochrane Library, Scopus, CINAHL, ProQuest, and EconLit, as well as the Centre for Reviews and Dissemination databases (eg, National Health Service Economic Evaluation Database) for the search period from January 1, 1990, to May 23, 2020. Qualitative synthesis was performed on the outcome measures used in the included studies, in particular the clinical contexts within which they were interpreted.ResultsA total of 21 full-text articles were included for qualitative analysis. Telehealth use in rural and remote EDs demonstrated effectiveness in achieving improved or equivalent clinical effectiveness, appropriate care processes, and—depending on the context—improvement in speed of care, as well as favorable service use patterns. The definition of effectiveness varied across the clinical areas and contexts of the studies, and different measures have been used to affirm the safety and clinical effectiveness of telehealth in rural and remote EDs. The acuity of patient presentation emerged as a dominant consideration in the interpretation of interlinking time-sensitive clinical effectiveness and patient disposition measures such as transfer and discharge rates, local hospital admission, length of stay, and ED length of stay. These, together with clinical area and acuity of presentation, are the outcome determination criteria that emerged from this review.ConclusionsEmergency telehealth studies typically use multiple outcome measures to determine the effectiveness of the services. The outcome determination criteria that emerged from this analysis are useful when defining the favorable direction for each outcome measure of interest. The findings of this review have implications for emergency telehealth service design and policies.Trial RegistrationPROSPERO CRD42019145903; https://tinyurl.com/ndmkr8ry

Drivers of general practice-type presentations to the emergency department in a remote outback community.

To estimate the number of general practice-appropriate attendances in a remote emergency department and explore the reasons for patients' choice of service. A four-step case study approach was adopted, focusing on hospital emergency department (ED) attendances that were potentially manageable in general practice. A large, remote community with substantial populations of Indigenous peoples and fly-in, fly-out mining industry workers. The ED is experiencing rapid growth in demand for services for lower urgency. Patients attending the emergency department with lower urgency problems. ED attendance data for 2016 were reviewed to identify lower urgency presentations. Patient records for 400 randomly selected presentations were subject to deeper analysis. A prospective survey was conducted over 6 months of 369 ED patients with lower urgency presentations. The proportion of patients attending the ED with GP-appropriate problems and influences on their decisions to attend the ED. About 48% of all attendances met the agreed definition of GP-appropriate problems. About half of presentations were during the normal work hours and about half of patients stated that GP services were unavailable. Younger age, lack of information about local GP services, and perceptions of convenience contributed significantly to seeking ED care. Increasing the availability of GP services alone is unlikely to be sufficient to change service utilisation. Strategies should include raising community awareness of how and when to utilise the appropriate service, understanding different models of care, and the need to register with a general practice.

Effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of telehealth in rural and remote emergency departments: a systematic review protocol

BackgroundEmergency telehealth has been used to improve accessibility of rural and remote patients to specialist care. Evidence to date has demonstrated effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of telehealth in rural and remote emergency departments within a variety of contexts. However, systematic reviews to date have not focused on the rural and remote emergency departments. The purpose of this study is to review the outcome measures used in evaluations of emergency telehealth in rural and remote settings and assess evidence relating to their effectiveness and cost-effectiveness.MethodsRandomised controlled trials, non-randomised controlled trials, and full and partial economic evaluations (e.g. cost-effectiveness, cost-benefit, and cost-utility analyses) of telehealth in rural and remote emergency departments will be included. Comprehensive literature searches will be conducted in multiple electronic databases (from 1990 onwards): MEDLINE (Ovid), Cochrane Library, Scopus, CINAHL, ProQuest, EconLit, CRD databases (e.g. NHS Economic Evaluation database), and Tufts Cost-Effectiveness Registry. Two authors will independently screen all citations, full-text articles, and abstract data. The methodological quality (or risk of bias) of individual studies will be appraised using an appropriate tool. A systematic narrative synthesis will be provided with information presented in the text and tables to summarise and explain the characteristics and findings of the studies. If feasible, we will conduct random effects meta-analysis.DiscussionThis review will identify gaps in the current body of evidence relating to the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of rural and remote emergency telehealth services. By confining to articles written in the English language, this analysis may be subjected to publication bias and results need to be interpreted accordingly. We believe the results of this review could be valuable for the design of future economic evaluations of emergency telehealth services implemented in the rural and remote context.Systematic review registrationPROSPERO CRD42019145903

The Time Is Now: Uncovering the Value of Pediatric Readiness in Emergency Departments.

* Abbreviations: ED — : emergency department QI — : quality improvement STEMI — : ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction More than 80% of families depend on community, rural, and remote emergency departments (EDs) to care for their children who are sick and injured.1 In the great majority of cases, similar to in adult cases, a child’s straightforward illness or injury is easily managed, and the child is discharged from the hospital to his or her family.2 However, unlike adults, when a child presents with a critical illness or injury, most EDs are unprepared to quickly stabilize that child. In this issue of Pediatrics , Ames et al3 evaluate the potential impact of this gap in the study “Emergency Department Pediatric Readiness and Mortality in Critically Ill Children.” On the basis of a national self-assessment of pediatric readiness, EDs commonly lack ≥1 critical elements, including pediatric patient safety and clinical care policies, quality improvement (QI) processes to monitor pediatric emergency care delivery, oversight to ensure that pediatric needs are met and integrated into all aspects of emergency care, and maintenance of pediatric competencies.1,4–6 The National Pediatric Readiness Project, a national QI collaborative formed … Address correspondence to Katherine E. Remick, MD, Department of Emergency Medicine, Dell Children’s Medical Center of Central Texas, 4900 Mueller Blvd, Austin, TX 78723. E-mail: kate.remick{at}gmail.com

Cost-effectiveness of Access to Critical Cerebral Emergency Support Services (ACCESS): a neuro-emergent telemedicine consultation program

Aims: Access to Critical Cerebral Emergency Support Services (ACCESS) was developed as a low-cost solution to providing neuro-emergent consultations to rural hospitals in New Mexico that do not offer comprehensive stroke care. ACCESS is a two-way audio-visual program linking remote emergency department physicians and their patients to stroke specialists. ACCESS also has an education component in which hospitals receive training from stroke specialists on the triage and treatment of patients. This study assessed the clinical and economic outcomes of the ACCESS program in providing services to rural New Mexico from a healthcare payer perspective.Methods: A decision tree model was constructed using findings from the ACCESS program and existing literature, the likelihood that a patient will receive a tissue plasminogen activator (tPA), cost of care, and resulting quality adjusted life years (QALYs). Data from the ACCESS program includes emergency room patients in rural New Mexico from May 2015 to August 2016. Outcomes and costs have been estimated for patients who were taken to a hospital providing neurological telecare and patients who were not.Results: The use of ACCESS decreased neuro-emergent stroke patient transfers from rural hospitals to urban settings from 85% to 5% (no tPA) and 90% to 23% (tPA), while stroke specialist reading of patient CT/MRI imaging within 3 h of onset of stroke symptoms increased from 2% to 22%. Results indicate that use of ACCESS has the potential to save $4,241 ($3,952–$4,438) per patient and increase QALYs by 0.20 (0.14–0.22). This increase in QALYs equates to ∼73 more days of life at full health. The cost savings and QALYs are expected to increase when moving from a 90-day model to a lifetime model.Conclusion: The analysis demonstrates potential savings and improved quality-of-life associated with the use of ACCESS for patients presenting to rural hospitals with acute ischemic stroke (AIS).

Assessing Data Integration and Quality for the Evaluation of Point-of-Care Testing Across Rural and Remote Emergency Departments in Australia.

In Australia, New South Wales Health Pathology's implementation of managed Point-of-Care Testing (PoCT) services across rural and remote emergency departments (EDs) has the potential to significantly improve access to results for certain types of pathology laboratory tests and help to deliver timely patient care. The aim of this study was to assess the quality of the datasets, including the integration of PoCT results into clinical systems, as a precursor to the application of an evaluation framework for monitoring the delivery of PoCT services and their impact on patient care. Three datasets, including laboratory, ED presentations and hospital admissions data were extracted from the relevant clinical information systems. Each dataset was assessed on six dimensions: completeness, uniqueness, timeliness, validity, accuracy, and consistency. Data incompleteness was the largest problem. Assessing the PoCT data integration and data quality is a precondition for the evaluation of PoCT and for monitoring and improving service delivery.

Bringing together the ‘Threads of Care’ in possible miscarriage for women, their partners and nurses in non-metropolitan EDs

BackgroundPregnancy is a significant event in a woman’s life, a time of great expectation and attachment to the possibilities and dreams placed onto the new life growing inside her. Complications in pregnancy are physically and psychologically traumatic experiences that can generate high levels of anxiety. Vaginal bleeding, pain, or both in the first trimester of pregnancy are common causes for presentation in any Australian emergency department. These emergency departments play an important role in the provision of healthcare in regional, rural and remote areas. When experiencing possible miscarriage, the care that is provided to women and their partners presenting to their regional, rural and remote emergency departments can have significant impact on their approach to current and future pregnancies. AimThe aim of this research was to explore the experiences of women and male partners who presented to non-metropolitan emergency departments with possible miscarriage, along with the experiences of nursing staff who provided care in these settings. MethodsUsing a grounded theory methodology, three participant groups were included in this study: women who presented to an emergency department, their partners, and the nursing staff who provided care in these settings. FindingsThe developed theory ‘Threads of Care’ incorporated five stages of their journey through a non-metropolitan emergency department with possible pregnancy loss: presenting as one; wanting recognition and inclusion; seeking support and understanding; leaving as one; and moving on. DiscussionThe theory enhances the understanding of what constitutes optimal and effective care for women and their partners when presenting to non-metropolitan emergency departments with possible miscarriage. ConclusionThe recommendations from this grounded theory will inform approaches to care that aim to meet the needs of women, their partners and nursing staff who care for them.

Use of telehealth in the management of non-critical emergencies in rural or remote emergency departments: A systematic review

Background Telehealth has been used extensively in emergency departments to improve healthcare provision. However, its impact on the management of non-critical emergency presentations within rural and remote emergency department settings has not been adequately explored. The objective of this systematic review is to identify how telehealth has been used to assist in the management of non-critical presentations in rural and remote emergency departments and the outcomes. Methods Articles were identified through database searches of CINAHL, Cochrane, MEDLINE (OVID), Informit and SCOPUS, as well as the screening of relevant article reference and citation lists. To determine how telehealth can assist in the management of non-critical emergencies, information was extracted relating to telehealth programme model, the scope of service and participating health professionals. The outcomes of telehealth programmes were determined by analysing the uptake and usage of telehealth, the impact on altering a diagnosis or management plan as well as patient disposition including patient transfer, discharge, local hospital admission and rates of discharge against medical advice. Results Of the 2532 identified records, 15 were found to match the eligibility criteria and were included in the review. Uptake and usage increased for telehealth programmes predominantly utilised by nursing staff with limited local medical support. Teleconsultation conservatively altered patient diagnosis or management in 18–66% of consultations. Although teleconsultation was associated with increased patient transfer rates, unnecessary transfers were reduced. Simultaneously, an increase in local hospital admission was noted and fewer patients were discharged home. Discharge against medical advice rates were low at 0.9–1.1%. Conclusion The most widely implemented hub-and-spoke telehealth model could be incorporated into existing referral frameworks. Telehealth programmes may assist in reducing unnecessary patient transfer and secondary overtriage, while increasing the capacity of emergency department staff to diagnose and manage patients locally, which may translate into increased local hospital admission and reduced discharge rates following teleconsultation.

Tele-emergency utilization: In what clinical situations is tele-emergency activated?

Introduction Tele-emergency provides audio/visual communication between a central emergency care centre (tele-emergency hub) and a distant emergency department (remote ED) for real-time emergency care consultation. The purpose of this mixed methods study is to examine how often tele-emergency is activated in usual practice and in what circumstances it is used. Methods Tele-emergency log data and merged electronic medical record data from Avera Health (Sioux Falls, SD) were analysed for 60,193 emergency department (ED) encounters presenting over a two-and-a-half year period at 21 critical access hospitals using the tele-emergency service. Of these, tele-emergency was activated for 1512 ED encounters. Results Analyses indicated that patients presenting at rural EDs with circulatory, injury, mental and symptoms diagnoses were significantly more likely to have tele-emergency department services activated as were patients who were transferred to another hospital. Interviews conducted with 85 clinicians and administrators at 26 rural hospitals that used this service indicated that this pattern of utilization facilitated rapid transfers and followed recommended clinical protocols for patients needing serious and/or urgent attention (e.g. stroke symptoms, chest pain). Discussion Although only used in 3.5% of ED encounters on average, our findings provide evidence that tele-emergency activation is well reasoned and related to those situations when extra expert assistance is particularly beneficial.

No longer 'flying blind': how access has changed emergency mental health care in rural and remote emergency departments, a qualitative study.

BackgroundMental health presentations are considered to be a difficult aspect of emergency care. Although emergency department (ED) staff is qualified to provide emergency mental health care, for some, such presentations pose a challenge to their training, confidence, and time. Providing access to relevant and responsive specialist mental health care can influence care and management for these patients. The Mental Health Emergency Care-Rural Access Program (MHEC-RAP) is a telepsychiatry program that was established to improve access to specialist emergency mental health care across rural and remote western NSW, Australia.MethodThis study uses interviews with ED providers to understand their experience of managing emergency mental health patients and their use of MHEC-RAP. The lens of access was applied to assess program impact and inform continuing program development.ResultsWith MHEC-RAP, these ED providers are no longer ‘flying blind’. They are also more confident to manage and care for emergency mental health patients locally. For these providers, access to specialists who are able to conduct assessments and provide relevant and responsive advice for emergency mental health presentations was valued. Assessing the fit between the consumer and service as a requirement for the development, evaluation, and ongoing management of the service should result in decisions about design and delivery that achieve improved access to care and meet the needs of their consumers. The experience of these providers prior to MHEC-RAP is consistent with that reported in other rural and remote populations suggesting that MHEC-RAP could address limitations in access to specialist care and change the provision of emergency mental health care elsewhere.ConclusionMHEC-RAP has not only provided access to specialist mental health care for local ED providers, but it has changed their practice and perspective. MHEC-RAP could be adapted for implementation elsewhere. Provider experience confirms that the program is accessible and offers insights to those considering how to establish an emergency telepyschiatry service in other settings.

The Role of Telemedicine in Treating the Critically Ill

Telemedicine use has been increasing exponentially and is expected to become a common tool in remote emergency departments, inpatient wards, and ICUs for acute care. Telemedicine involves real-time, live interactive high-definition video and audio communication that allows critical care physicians to have a virtual presence at the bedside of any critically ill patient. There is increasing data to support new care models that incorporate telemedicine in caring for the critically ill, resulting in higher care quality; more efficient resource use with improved cost-effectiveness; and higher patient, family, and remote provider satisfaction. As further research is conducted, the best use of telemedicine will be better defined and will result in increased access to critical care expertise to a larger population of patients requiring ICU services.

'Yes wee can' - a nurse-driven asymptomatic screening program for chlamydia and gonorrhoea in a remote emergency department

A nurse-driven, urine-based screening program for Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Chlamyida trachomatis was conducted in a remote emergency department targeting asymptomatic youth. Individuals who presented to the Emergency Department with non-genitourinary complaints between the ages of 16 and 34 were offered free opportunistic urinary testing for gonorrhoea and chlamydia. In total, 178 eligible patients were offered screening, 65% consented for testing and 14 patients (12%) returned positive results, with 10 diagnoses of chlamydia, 9 of gonorrhoea and 5 with both. Emergency departments are an underutilised interface between difficult to reach at risk youth populations and public health services.

Stroke telepresence

Telestroke permits time-sensitive acute stroke consultations to remote Emergency Departments (ED) regardless of distance.1 Time is the critical issue in acute stroke, where minutes matter. The odds of an excellent 3-month outcome decline with every minute before tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) is administered.2 In this issue of Neurology ®, Sairanen and colleagues3 describe how “hub” consultants provided telestroke coverage to remote Finnish “spoke” hospitals 80–500 miles away, to help decide whether to administer tPA. They showed that the 3-month functional outcomes and symptomatic intracranial bleeding rate in tPA-treated spoke patients were similar to those treated in person at the hub. More than half of spoke consultations resulted in the administration of IV tPA, a higher percentage than observed in other studies, where only about a quarter are treated.4 This may be due to “spot coverage.” The 29 consultants provided less than 24-hour coverage; during the regular day shift, tPA was administered by local neurologists so that the ED staff was experienced. It is likely, then, that experienced ED teams' consultations were more likely to result in tPA administration. The consultations took about 23 minutes and the median onset to treatment time was about 120 minutes, further evidence that telestroke consultations lead to early treatment.4 All patients remained in the spoke hospitals …

The State of Emergency Stroke Resources and Care in Rural Arizona: A Platform for Telemedicine

A rural-urban disparity exists in acute stroke management practices in Arizona. A proposed solution is a statewide acute stroke care plan centered on stroke telemedicine. Our purpose was to evaluate the emergency stroke resources available at and care provided by remote Arizona hospitals and to formulate a 5-year stroke telemedicine plan for Arizona rural residents. We used the Arizona Hospital and Healthcare Association Web site to identify all eligible institutions. Consenting personnel were mailed the survey on behalf of the Arizona Department of Health Services. To construct the 5-year telemedicine plan, we used survey data as well as our previously designed stroke telemedicine research trial. We estimated the resources, the geographic coverage, and the operating costs. Thirty-five hospitals met survey eligibility criteria; however, 24/35 (69%) hospitals completed the survey. Only one hospital had neurologists on call 24/7. Hospitals thrombolysed 2%-4% of all stroke patients annually. Ninety percent of the hospitals were interested in participating in a statewide telemedicine initiative. The stroke telemedicine plan divided Arizona into two regions, each with a one-hub to three-spoke ratio. The budget was estimated to be U.S. $8,141,217.10 for 5 years. Remote communities of Arizona were underserviced with regard to the availability of neurologists and the delivery of emergency stroke care. The majority of the remote emergency departments were interested in participating as spoke sites in a statewide stroke telemedicine initiative. Telemedicine may be an effective method to provide expert care to stroke patients located in rural areas.

The use of telemedicine to treat ophthalmological emergencies in rural Australia.

A retrospective analysis was made of a cohort of patients who presented sequentially with acute ophthalmological conditions which were managed by telemedicine consultation. Twenty-four patients presented with acute problems requiring specialist ophthalmological advice to the emergency department of a remote hospital in Mt Isa, Queensland, between December 1996 and February 1997. Tele-ophthalmology consultations were carried out with three ophthalmologists working in a specialist eye clinic in Townsville, 900 km away. Patients and doctors were extremely positive about the telemedicine facility. Tele-ophthalmology was an effective means of providing acute specialist consultation in a remote emergency department. By reducing the need for acute transfers to the tertiary hospital in Townsville, significant benefits can be anticipated--both financial and in terms of convenience for the patient. Benefits for medical staff in skills acquisition and education were also evident.