Cesáreo Fernández Alonso1, Rodolfo Romero Pareja2, Aristides Rivas García3, Rosa Jiménez Gallego4, Yolanda Majo Carbajo5, Juan Mariano Aguilar Mulet6. 1. Servicio de Urgencias, Hospital Clínico San Carlos, Madrid, España. 2. Servicio de Urgencias, Hospital de Getafe, Madrid, España. 3. Servicio de Urgencias Pediátricas, Hospital Gregorio Marañón, Madrid, España. 4. Servicio de Urgencias, Hospital Rey Juan Carlos, Madrid, España. 5. Servicio de Urgencias, Hospital Infanta Cristina, Madrid, España. 6. Servicio de Urgencias, Hospital de La Princesa, Madrid, España. Coordinador del Grupo del Paciente Fidelizado dentro del Plan Estratégico de Urgencias de la Comunidad de Madrid.
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: To describe the characteristics of frequent users of hospital emergency departments and analyze whether characteristics varied in relation to how revisits were distributed over the course of the year studied. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Retrospective study of patients over the age of 14 years who were treated in a hospital emergency department at least 10 times in 2013. Patients were identified in 17 public hospitals in the Spanish autonomous community of Madrid. Data related to the first and successive visits were gathered and analyzed by quarter year. RESULTS: We included 2340 patients with a mean (SD) age of 54 (21) years. A total of 1361 (58.%) were women, 1160 (50%) had no concomitant diseases, 1366 (58.2%) were substance abusers, and 25 (1.1%) were homeless. During the first visit, 2038 (87.1%) complained of a recent health problem, and 289 (12.4%) were admitted. Sixty (2.6%) patients concentrated their revisits in a single quarters 335 (14.3%) in 2 quarters, 914 (39.1%) in 3, and 1005 (42.9%) in 4. Patients whose revisits were distributed over more quarters were older (> 65 years), had more concomitant conditions, were on more medications (P < .001), showed cognitive impairment (P = .039), and were more functionally dependent (P = .007). They were also more likely to have been hospitalized on the first visit (P < .001). Patients whose revisits were concentrated in fewer quarters were more often women (P = .012) and more likely to have a specific diagnosis (P < .001) and revisit for a reason related to the initial visit (P = .012). CONCLUSION: Our study shows that the frequent user has specific characteristics and loyally comes to the same emergency department over the course of a year. Patients whose revisits are dispersed over a longer period have more complex problems and use more resources during their initial visit.
OBJECTIVES: To describe the characteristics of frequent users of hospital emergency departments and analyze whether characteristics varied in relation to how revisits were distributed over the course of the year studied. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Retrospective study of patients over the age of 14 years who were treated in a hospital emergency department at least 10 times in 2013. Patients were identified in 17 public hospitals in the Spanish autonomous community of Madrid. Data related to the first and successive visits were gathered and analyzed by quarter year. RESULTS: We included 2340 patients with a mean (SD) age of 54 (21) years. A total of 1361 (58.%) were women, 1160 (50%) had no concomitant diseases, 1366 (58.2%) were substance abusers, and 25 (1.1%) were homeless. During the first visit, 2038 (87.1%) complained of a recent health problem, and 289 (12.4%) were admitted. Sixty (2.6%) patients concentrated their revisits in a single quarters 335 (14.3%) in 2 quarters, 914 (39.1%) in 3, and 1005 (42.9%) in 4. Patients whose revisits were distributed over more quarters were older (> 65 years), had more concomitant conditions, were on more medications (P < .001), showed cognitive impairment (P = .039), and were more functionally dependent (P = .007). They were also more likely to have been hospitalized on the first visit (P < .001). Patients whose revisits were concentrated in fewer quarters were more often women (P = .012) and more likely to have a specific diagnosis (P < .001) and revisit for a reason related to the initial visit (P = .012). CONCLUSION: Our study shows that the frequent user has specific characteristics and loyally comes to the same emergency department over the course of a year. Patients whose revisits are dispersed over a longer period have more complex problems and use more resources during their initial visit.