ED analgesia continues to be used less frequently in the pediatric compared with the adult population. Inadequate dosing of discharge analgesic medication in children is a significant problem. Patterns of analgesic utilization may differ in different types of ED settings.
Objective: To characterize ambulance utilization i n a pediatric population and pediatric emergency physicians' judgment of the medical need for ambulance transport. Methods: A convenience sample of ambulance transports were studied prospectively during a 5-week period.Exclusion criteria included transfer from another medical facility, study physician not available, need for immediate resuscitation, or trauma team activation. A questionnaire completed by the physician assessed medical need for the ambulance based on chief complaint, general appearance, vital signs, and ambulance run sheet information. A separate questionnaire was administered to the parents regarding reasons for ambulance use and other available means of transportation. Caregivers were contacted by telephone 2-3 days later to determine the mode of transportation home and the clinical outcome. Results: Of 172 eligible patients, 92 (53%) were enrolled. Most (61 %; 56/92) transports were considered medically unnecessary. Interestingly, 40% (37/92) of the subjects had no other means of transportation; 86% (32/37) of ambulance transports for this group were judged medically unnecessary. Overall, 86% (79/92) of families had not called their physician. There was no association between having spoken with the physician and medical need for an ambulance. Many (82%; 46/56) Medicaid transports were judged medically unnecessary. Overall, follow-up was achieved for 91% (85/92) of the patients. No patient for whom transport was medically unnecessary bad a repeat ED visit for the same complaint or required admission. Most patients (74%; 68/92) returned home without any assistance. Among the medically unnecessary transports, 52% (32/ 60) of the caregivers cited no other means of transportation, yet 34% (1 1/32) of these patients returned home by private car. Conclusions: Most pediatric ambulance transports in this sample, which excluded patients requiring immediate resuscitation or trauma team care, were judged to be medically unnecessary. Caregivers often use an ambulance as a convenience or as the only means of transportation. An alternate, less resource-intensive transportation system may be more appropriate for this population.
This study describes urban emergency department (ED) utilization and follow-up referral patterns among adolescents. ED visits for 14-19-year-old patients at an urban university hospital with adjacent adult and pediatric emergency departments during specified months in 1993 were retrospectively reviewed. A subgroup (n=150) was randomly selected for detailed chart review. One thousand six hundred and thirty-six adolescents were seen in the ED during the study period. Public assistance (n=763; 47%) and commercial insurance (n=480; 29%) were the most common forms of insurance, followed by self-pay (n=357; 22%). The majority of triage codes for ED visits were nonurgent (n=140; 93%). Twenty-five patients (17%) were not referred for follow-up upon ED discharge. Adolescents on public assistance or without insurance may frequently utilize an urban ED for nonurgent medical problems. A group of patients did not identify a primary care provider at triage and were not referred for follow-up. Defining medical problems for which adolescents utilize the ED may help health professionals to tailor community resources to better serve adolescent health care needs.
Note: This is a revision of the previous joint policy statement titled "Guidelines for Care of Children in the Emergency Department." Children have unique physical and psychosocial needs that are heightened in the setting of serious or life-threatening emergencies. The majority of ill and injured children are brought to community hospital emergency departments (EDs) by virtue of proximity. It is, therefore, imperative that all EDs have the appropriate resources (medications, equipment, policies, and education) and capable staff to provide effective emergency care for children. This policy statement outlines resources necessary for EDs to stand ready to care for children of all ages. These recommendations are consistent with the recommendations of the Institute of Medicine (now called the National Academy of Medicine) in its report "The Future of Emergency Care in the United States Health System." Although resources within emergency and trauma care systems vary locally, regionally, and nationally, it is essential that ED staff, administrators, and medical directors seek to meet or exceed these recommendations to ensure high-quality emergency care is available for all children. These updated recommendations are intended to serve as a resource for clinical and administrative leadership of EDs as they strive to improve their readiness for children of all ages.
BACKGROUNDThe National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey reported that in 2014 there were approximately 5,000 EDs in the United States. Of the more than 141
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