Ambulance Service Treat and Referral Outcome (ASTRO) study.

Three new CPGs have been approved by Council, following recommendation of the Medical Advisory Committee, which authorise the introduction of treat and referral for the first time in Ireland. 

The CPGs are;

1    Clinical Care Pathway Decision – Treat & Referral.  This is a generic CPG which assists the practitioner in deciding if the patient is appropriate to offer a clinical care pathway other than the standard transport to an emergency department.  The patient and/or the practitioner may opt out of this CPG if they are not satisfied with the clinical care pathways offered.

2    Hypoglycaemia – Treat & Referral.  This CPG relates to a patient who is post hypoglycaemia and has now recovered.

3    Isolated Seizure – Treat & Referral.  This CPG relates to a patient who is post isolated seizure and has now recovered.

Paramedic and advanced paramedic involvement
Since the last publication of e-Zine paramedics and advanced paramedics were requested to complete a short online survey.  To date 323 (13.8%) paramedics and 163 (49.2%) advanced paramedics have completed the survey.

Statistics on responses from paramedics
Paramedics on PHECC register (March 2013)        2,345
Registered paramedics with e-mail address          1,554 (66.3%)
Incorrect e-mail addresses                                  181 (7.7%)
Survey e-mails delivered                                     1,373 (58.6%)
Survey e-mails opened                                       676 (28.8%)


The response from advanced paramedics is 72.5% which is superb. The response from paramedics, however at 15.2% is disappointing and falls short of an adequate percentage to enable any inference be made in relation to the opinion of paramedics on treat and referral.  IT support, suggest that many e-mails ‘delivered but not opened’ may have gone directly into ‘junk mail’ on practitioner’s computers.

The survey is still open and paramedics are encouraged to click on the link in their e-mail and complete the survey.  Paramedics that have not received an e-mail in relation to the survey are invited to e-mail astro@phecc.ie quoting their PIN and they will receive a survey link.  The survey is strictly confidential and will report only on the collective data gathered.