What resources are used in emergency departments in rural sub-Saharan Africa? A retrospective analysis of patient care in a district-level hospital in Uganda.
BMJ Open
; 8(2): e019024, 2018 02 24.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-29478017
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES:
To determine the most commonly used resources (provider procedural skills, medications, laboratory studies and imaging) needed to care for patients.SETTING:
A single emergency department (ED) of a district-level hospital in rural Uganda.PARTICIPANTS:
26 710 patient visits.RESULTS:
Procedures were performed for 65.6% of patients, predominantly intravenous cannulation, wound care, bladder catheterisation and orthopaedic procedures. Medications were administered to 87.6% of patients, most often pain medications, antibiotics, intravenous fluids, antimalarials, nutritional supplements and vaccinations. Laboratory testing was used for 85% of patients, predominantly malaria smears, rapid glucose testing, HIV assays, blood counts, urinalyses and blood type. Radiology testing was performed for 17.3% of patients, including X-rays, point-of-care ultrasound and formal ultrasound.CONCLUSION:
This study describes the skills and resources needed to care for a large prospective cohort of patients seen in a district hospital ED in rural sub-Saharan Africa. It demonstrates that the vast majority of patients were treated with a small formulary of critical medications and limited access to laboratories and imaging, but providers require a broad set of decision-making and procedural skills.Palavras-chave
Texto completo:
1
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Prescrições de Medicamentos
/
Radiologia
/
Serviço Hospitalar de Emergência
/
Recursos em Saúde
Tipo de estudo:
Observational_studies
Limite:
Adolescent
/
Adult
/
Aged
/
Aged80
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Child
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Child, preschool
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Female
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Humans
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Infant
/
Male
País como assunto:
Africa
Idioma:
En
Ano de publicação:
2018
Tipo de documento:
Article