Sammanfattning
BACKGROUND Several earlier studies have shown that doctors in local out-of-hours emergency primary health care participate in call-outs to varying
degrees. It is the out-of-hours doctor who decides whether to respond with a call-out. We wished to study the assessments that form the basis of this
decision.
MATERIAL AND METHOD We interviewed the out-of-hours doctors in the county of Hordaland who had been alerted about an emergency incident on the health
radio network during an evening or night shift, apart from at weekends. The interview period lasted from July to October 2012 and was linked directly to
specific alarm calls.
RESULTS There were 252 relevant incidents, 72 of which were investigated. A total of 47 of the 95 doctors contacted were interviewed (49 %). The doctor
responded with a call-out in 65 % of the incidents. Normally it was the content of the message about the patient’s medical condition that was critical for the
doctor’s decision to respond with a call-out, while it was most often practical aspects that meant that she/he did not respond in this way. When the doctor
responded with a call-out, and later assessed the call-out as necessary, the patient’s need for medical expertise was the most important reason given.
INTERPRETATION In the incidents studied, the decision on whether or not to respond with a call-out was based on a balanced consideration of the patient’s
needs and what was practically possible for the doctor. The out-of-hours doctors experienced a need for medical expertise in many emergency medical
situations.