Frequent users of the emergency department services in the largest academic hospital in the Netherlands: a 5-year report.
Eur J Emerg Med
; 24(2): 130-135, 2017 Apr.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-26287805
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE:
To investigate the demographic and service characteristics, motive for consultation, and disposition of adult frequent users (FUs) of the largest academic hospital in the Netherlands over a 5-year period. PATIENTS ANDMETHODS:
This retrospective study included all patients aged 18 years and older visiting the emergency department (ED) during a 5-year period (2009-2013). Frequent ED use was defined as having four or more visits to the ED during a year. Patient and service characteristics, motive for consultation, and disposition were explored.RESULTS:
Frequent ED users represented 2% of all patients who visited the ED during 2009-2013 (8% of all ED consultations). On average, each FU visited the ED five times per year. Compared with nonfrequent users (NFUs), FUs were significantly less often self-referred, less frequently transported to the hospital by ambulance, received a lower urgency code upon arrival to the ED, and more often admitted to hospital than NFUs. Complaints related to the digestive system (19%), general complaints such as fever (18%), respiratory (10%), or cardiovascular problems (10%) were the main motive for consultations of the frequent ED users. Two percent of the FUs were serial FUs (FUs during 3 or more consecutive years).CONCLUSION:
Frequent use of the ED has been depicted as inappropriate use of these services. However, our study shows that FUs consist of a relatively small number of patients and that FUs suffer from chronic, and often, severe somatic illnesses that require specialized medical care.
Texto completo:
1
Coleções:
01-internacional
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Serviço Hospitalar de Emergência
Tipo de estudo:
Etiology_studies
/
Observational_studies
/
Risk_factors_studies
Limite:
Adult
/
Aged
/
Humans
/
Male
/
Middle aged
País/Região como assunto:
Europa
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Eur J Emerg Med
Assunto da revista:
MEDICINA DE EMERGENCIA
Ano de publicação:
2017
Tipo de documento:
Article
País de afiliação:
Holanda