Strengthening Care for Children (SC4C), an Integrated Paediatrician‒General Practitioner Model for Reducing Hospital Referral Rates: a Stepped-Wedge Cluster Randomised Controlled Trial

Objectives

To assess the effectiveness of Strengthening Care for Children (SC4C) for reducing the number of referrals by general practitioners of patients under 18years of age to hospital services.

Study Design

Stepped-wedge cluster randomised trial; data collected for up to 16months after the intervention.

Setting

General practices in North Western Melbourne and Central and Eastern Sydney primary health networks, 1 May 2021–30 September 2023.

Participants

General practitioners who worked at least two clinical sessions each week, saw patients under 18years of age, and for whom at least 1 month of referrals data during the control period were available; families of people under 18years attending these practices.

Intervention

Weekly (6 months) then fortnightly (6 months) general practitioner–paediatrician co-consultations; monthly paediatrician-led case discussions; weekday phone and email support by paediatricians.

Main Outcome Measures

Proportion of general practitioner visits in which patients were referred to publicly funded hospital outpatient clinics or emergency departments (patient level), overall and by baseline referral rate. Secondary outcomes: Referrals after completion of the intervention; general practitioner confidence regarding child health care; low value care for frequent childhood conditions; family preference for general practitioner or paediatrician care.

Results

One hundred and thirty participating general practitioners from 22 general practices conducted 50,101 consultations during the control period; 125 general practitioners from 21 general practices received the intervention and undertook 96,804 consultations. Patients were referred to hospitals in 2.3% of control period consultations and 1.9% of intervention period consultations (risk difference, −0.34 [95% confidence interval {CI}, −0.69 to 0.004] percentage points). Among general practitioners with high referral rates at baseline (5% or higher), patients were referred to hospital outpatient or emergency department in 7.3% of control period consultations and in 3.0% of intervention period consultations (risk difference, −4.28 [95% CI, −6.59 to −1.97] percentage points); the referral rate was also lower after the intervention period (sustainability vs. control periods: 2.9% vs. 5.8%; risk difference, −2.92 [95% CI, −5.36 to −0.48] percentage points). The proportions of general practitioners confident about their knowledge and skills regarding child health care were larger during the intervention than the control period. Quality of care and family preference for general practitioner-led care for their children remained high across the study. No adverse events were recorded.

Conclusion

Strengthening primary care for children reduces the frequency of hospital referrals of children by general practitioners with high referral rates, increases rates of general practitioner confidence about caring for children and maintains family preference for general practitioner-led care.

Trial Registration: Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry ACTRN12620001299998 (prospective)