TY - JOUR
T1 - Use of an emergency department by nonurgent patients
AU - Northington, William E.
AU - Brice, Jane H.
AU - Zou, Bin
N1 - Funding Information:
This study was supported by the National Institutes of Health student summer research fellowship and an unrestricted educational grant from the Aspect Medical Systems.
PY - 2005/3
Y1 - 2005/3
N2 - Objectives: The objectives of this study are (1) to determine whether patients seeking emergency department (ED) nonurgent care have primary care providers (PCP) or know of other care sources and (2) to determine the reasons why they choose to use the ED. Methods: A cross-sectional survey in a university ED was administered to self-referred nonurgent patients for 6 weeks. Use of a PCP, knowledge and attempts to seek other care, past use of the ED, urgency self-report, time of visit, and reasons for choosing an ED were recorded. Results: Of the 563 approached subjects, 314 were eligible and 279 agreed to participate. One hundred fifty-seven (56%) had PCPs. For 183 (66%) subjects, the ED was the only place they knew to go for their present problem, and 75 (27%) reported that they depended on the ED for all medical care. Of those patients with a PCP, 73 (47%) rated the ED better for unscheduled care. Eighty-one (52%) subjects thought their PCP would be more efficient and 66 (42%) thought their PCP would be cheaper. Conclusions: Although most ED nonurgent patients were not dependent upon the ED, the majority was unaware of other places to go for their current health problem. Even those patients with a PCP sought care in the ED because the ED was believed to provide better care despite its perceived increase in both waiting time and cost.
AB - Objectives: The objectives of this study are (1) to determine whether patients seeking emergency department (ED) nonurgent care have primary care providers (PCP) or know of other care sources and (2) to determine the reasons why they choose to use the ED. Methods: A cross-sectional survey in a university ED was administered to self-referred nonurgent patients for 6 weeks. Use of a PCP, knowledge and attempts to seek other care, past use of the ED, urgency self-report, time of visit, and reasons for choosing an ED were recorded. Results: Of the 563 approached subjects, 314 were eligible and 279 agreed to participate. One hundred fifty-seven (56%) had PCPs. For 183 (66%) subjects, the ED was the only place they knew to go for their present problem, and 75 (27%) reported that they depended on the ED for all medical care. Of those patients with a PCP, 73 (47%) rated the ED better for unscheduled care. Eighty-one (52%) subjects thought their PCP would be more efficient and 66 (42%) thought their PCP would be cheaper. Conclusions: Although most ED nonurgent patients were not dependent upon the ED, the majority was unaware of other places to go for their current health problem. Even those patients with a PCP sought care in the ED because the ED was believed to provide better care despite its perceived increase in both waiting time and cost.
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U2 - 10.1016/j.ajem.2004.05.006
DO - 10.1016/j.ajem.2004.05.006
M3 - Article
C2 - 15765330
AN - SCOPUS:14844328115
SN - 0735-6757
VL - 23
SP - 131
EP - 137
JO - American Journal of Emergency Medicine
JF - American Journal of Emergency Medicine
IS - 2
ER -