Hyper-use of the ED

    Authors

    J. R. Shiber; M. B. Longley;K. L. Brewer

    Comments

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    Abbreviated Journal Title

    Am. J. Emerg. Med.

    Keywords

    EMERGENCY-DEPARTMENT USERS; FREQUENT USERS; CARE; SERVICES; VISITS; ACCIDENT; ATTENDERS; Emergency Medicine

    Abstract

    Objectives: This study aims to describe the population that averages one or more emergency department (ED) visits per month and compare them to the general ED population to determine if there are associated characteristics. Methods: A retrospective cohort study conducted in a teaching hospital between January 1, 2001, and December 31, 2004, identified all patients with more than 35 visits. This hyper-user (HU) cohort (n = 49) was compared to a randomly selected group of non-HU patients (n = 50) on the following measures: age, sex, insurance coverage, primary medical doctor (PMD), dwelling location, chief complaint, comorbidities, and disposition. Results: The HU group was significantly older (mean, 49.45 years) than the non-HU group (37.32 years) with a P < .0001. There was no difference between the groups in sex, insurance coverage, PMD, dwelling location, and disposition. A univariant logistical regression found that previous cardiovascular, genitourinary, or psychiatric disease were predictors of hyper-use. Conclusions: The HU group is older and more likely to have a history of cardiovascular, genitourinary, and psychiatric disease but is similar to the non-HU group in other measured parameters. The HU group appears to have equal access to a PMD and is not more likely to be admitted to the hospital than the non-HU group. (C) 2009 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

    Journal Title

    American Journal of Emergency Medicine

    Volume

    27

    Issue/Number

    5

    Publication Date

    1-1-2009

    Document Type

    Article

    Language

    English

    First Page

    588

    Last Page

    594

    WOS Identifier

    WOS:000266940800012

    ISSN

    0735-6757

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