Limited need for hospital resources among patients brought to hospital by the emergency medical services

• Background: In Sweden, the majority of patients who are transported to hospital by the emergency medical services (EMS) are relatively old and the majority suffer from comorbidity. About half these patients are admitted to a hospital ward and will stay in hospital. However, the other half will only make a visit to the emergency department (ED). The burden on the ED is extensive and many elderly patients have to stay for many hours in the ED. Aim: To describe the patients who are brought to hospital by the EMS, with particular emphasis on those that were discharged from the ED, and to assess the proportion of these patients who did not require hospital resources, which could mean that they were candidates for primary care (PC). Methods: An observational analysis of a cohort of patients who were transported to hospital by the EMS in 2016 in the Municipality of Gothenburg. Results: In all, 5,326 patients were transported to hospital by the EMS of which 52% were discharged directly from the ED. These patients included 37% assessed as not requiring hospital resources. The three most common causes of contact with the EMS in this subset were abdominal pain (15%), back pain (8%) and non-specified disease (7%). Of these patients, 77% had contact with a physician in the ED, whereas 6% had contact with a nurse and 17% left the ED without any contact. Twenty-six per cent were given advice on follow-up in PC. Conclusions: Among patients who were brought to hospital by the EMS, more than half were discharged directly from the ED. Among these patients, 37% were assessed as not requiring hospital resources. These patients comprised 15% of the overall study cohort and may be candidates for primary care. © 2021, The Author(s).

Ämnesord

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Hälsovetenskap -- Omvårdnad (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Health Sciences -- Nursing (hsv//eng)

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Klinisk medicin -- Annan klinisk medicin (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Clinical Medicine -- Other Clinical Medicine (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

Emergency Department

Emergency Medical Service

Hospital Resources

abdominal pain

adult

aged

Article

backache

cohort analysis

emergency health service

emergency ward

female

follow up

health care utilization

hospital care

hospital discharge

human

major clinical study

male

nurse

observational study

patient transport

physician

primary medical care

Sweden

very elderly

Människan i vården

The Human Perspective in Care

Emergency Medical Service

Emergency Department

Hospital Resources

department visits

ambulance

Emergency Medicine

Publikations- och innehållstyp

ref (ämneskategori)

art (ämneskategori)