Table 1 Consultation characteristics of patients with specific vs. non-specific complaints

 Age, [med (IQR)]

50.0

(33–67)

55.5

(39–68)

51.0

(34–67)

0.027

  Female

640

(48.9)

73

(38.4)

713

(47.5)

  Male

670

(51.1)

117

(61.6)

787

(52.5)

0.007

 Swiss nationality, [n (%)]

927

(70.8)

142

(74.7)

1069

(71.3)

0.258

 Private insurance, [n (%)]

171

(13.1)

40

(21.1)

1069

(71.3)

0.003

Transport by EMS

373

(28.5)

46

(24.2)

419

(27.9)

0.221

 Saturday or Sunday admission, [n (%)]

431

(32.9)

51

(26.8)

482

(32.1)

0.095

 Night-time admissions, [n (%)]

593

(45.3)

74

(38.9)

667

(44.5)

0.101

 Effective weekends^a, [n (%)]

519

(39.6)

57

(30.0)

576

(38.4)

0.011

 Effective days off^b, [n (%)]

443

(33.8)

53

(27.9)

496

(33.1)

0.105

 COPD, [n (%)]

75

(5.7)

9

(4.7)

84

(5.6)

0.580

 Diabetes, [n (%)]

153

(11.7)

38

(20.0)

191

(12.7)

0.001

 Liver disease, [n (%)]

89

(6.8)

16

(8.4)

105

(7.0)

0.411

 Dementia, [n (%)]

27

(2.1)

6

(3.2)

33

(2.2)

0.335

 Past myocardial infarction, [n (%)]

181

(13.8)

20

(10.5)

201

(13.4)

0.213

 Malignancy, [n (%)]

204

(15.6)

35

(18.4)

239

(15.9)

0.316

 Peripheral artery disease, [n (%)]

42

(3.2)

4

(2.1)

46

(3.1)

0.411

Chronic kidney disease, [n (%)]

51

(3.9)

9

(4.7)

60

(4.0)

0.579

 Cerebrovascular disease, [n (%)]

98

(7.5)

16

(8.4)

114

(7.6)

0.648

 On any antidiabetic, [n (%)]

104

(7.9)

27

(14.2)

131

(8.7)

0.004

 On any antithrombotic, [n (%)]

372

(28.4)

59

(31.1)

431

(28.7)

0.450

 On any antihypertensive, [n (%)]

411

(31.4)

69

(36.3)

480

(32.0)

0.172

 On any diuretic, [n (%)]

178

(13.6)

25

(13.2)

203

(13.5)

0.871

 On any antibiotic, [n (%)]

188

(14.4)

15

(7.9)

203

(13.5)

0.015

 On any antiepileptic, [n (%)]

108

(8.2)

14

(7.4)

122

(8.1)

0.680

 On any opioids, [n (%)]

97

(7.4)

15

(7.9)

112

(7.5)

0.810

 On any psycholeptic, [n (%)]

178

(13.6)

26

(13.7)

204

(13.6)

0.971

 Triage category, [med (iqr)]

3.0

(2, 3)

3.0

(2, 3)

3.0

(2, 3)

< 0.001

  Highly-urgent

588

(44.9)

55

(28.9)

643

(42.9)

  Urgent

722

(55.1)

135

(71.1)

857

(57.1)

< 0.001

 Resuscitation bay, [n (%)]

17

(1.3)

2

(1.1)

19

(1.3)

0.778

 Hospitalisation, [n (%)]

516

(39.4)

72

(37.9)

588

(39.2)

0.693

 30 d revisits, [n (%)]

175

(13.4)

22

(11.6)

197

(13.1)

0.497

 365 d revisits, [n (%)]

476

(36.3)

73

(38.4)

549

(36.6)

0.577

 LOS hospital days, [med (iqr)]

0.3

(0.2–3.4)

0.3

(0.2–3.3)

0.3

(0.2–3.4)

0.940

 LOS ED hours, [med (iqr)]

4.7

(3.4–6.5)

4.9

(3.3–6.8)

4.7

(3.3–6.6)

0.871

 ICU admission, [n (%)]

108

(8.2)

13

(6.8)

121

(8.1)

0.507

 In-hospital death, [n (%)]

21

(1.6)

5

(2.6)

26

(1.7)

0.310