Return visits to the emergency department.

A persistent problem for emergency physicians is the patient who returns unscheduled to the emergency department with a problem that either has not improved or has worsened. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the frequency of revisits and the nature of the problems. All patients returning within 72 hours of their initial visit were entered into the study. The charts were evaluated for classification of problem, unavoidable v avoidable returns, and errors in medical care or patient education. Of the 64,336 patients seen during the study, 255 returned within 72 hours. Eighty-three (32.5%) of the returns were found to be avoidable with better patient education or medical care on the initial visit. The revisit population is a high-risk group of patients who should be approached carefully by emergency physicians.