The first Australian study to place GPs in emergency departments has concluded that at least 20% of ED presentations could be managed in general practice, many more than previous estimates.

The authors say other research on the subject — a key issue for policymakers trying to control healthcare costs — is “potentially invalid” because none involved real GP assessment of patients.

Those studies relied on data analysis of hospital triage records or diagnoses.

In the new study, researchers from the University of WA asked 14 GPs to sit in on emergency shifts at four different hospitals.