Non-urgent pediatric emergency department utilization - A case review

Abstract

Parents who repetitively use the emergency department (ED) for non-urgent care create potential risk for their children. This phenomenon is influenced by inconvenient primary care office hours, insurance issues, and guaranteed same day services in the ED. Essentially, parents are using the ED as a primary care office, rather than a place for the care of urgent illness. This is a serious health concern as children do not receive continuity of care nor do they receive a focus on preventative healthcare when their primary place of obtaining care is solely in the ED. This case study presents an example of inappropriate, repeated ED use and offers potential solutions that enhance parental, ED provider, and primary care provider (PCP) accountability; enhancing the ability to provide appropriate care to a vulnerable population.