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Rural emergency department use by CTAS IV and V patients

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 May 2015

Sandra Steele ,
Danielle Anstett  and
W. Ken Milne
Sandra Steele
Affiliation:
University of Queensland School of Medicine, Brisbane, Australia
Danielle Anstett
Affiliation:
National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland
W. Ken Milne*
Affiliation:
Department of Family Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, Exeter, Ont.
*
Department of Family Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, South Huron Hospital, 24 Huron St. W., Exeter ON N0M 1S2; monycon@hurontel.on.ca

Abstract

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Objective:

For a variety of reasons, many emergency department (ED) visits are classified as less- or nonurgent (Canadian Triage and Acuity Scale [CTAS] level IV and V). A recent survey in a tertiary care ED identified some of these reasons. The purpose of our study was to determine if these same reasons applied to patients presenting with problems triaged at a similar level at a low-volume rural ED.

Methods:

A 9-question survey tool was administered to 141 CTAS level IV and V patients who attended the South Huron Hospital ED, in Exeter, Ontario, over a 2-week period in December 2006.

Results:

Of the 141 eligible patients, 137 (97.2%) completed the study. One hundred and twenty-two patients (89.1%) reported having a family physician (FP) and 53 (38.7%) had already seen an FP before presenting to the ED. Just over one-half of all patients (51.1%) had their problem for more than 48 hours, and 42 (30.7%) stated that they were referred to the ED for care. Fifty-three (38.7%) of the respondents felt they needed treatment as soon as possible. Many patients reported coming to the ED because: 1) their FP office was closed (21.9%); 2) they could not get a timely appointment (16.8%); or 3) the walk-in clinic was closed (24.8%). Only 6 patients (4.4%) specifically stated that they came to the ED because they had no FP. One-third of patients attended the ED because they believed it offered specialized services.

Conclusion:

In this rural setting, most less- or nonurgent ED patients had an FP yet they went to the ED because they did not have access to primary care, because they perceived their problem to be urgent or because they were referred for or sought specific services.

Keywords

nonurgentlow acuityCanadian Emergency Department Triage and Acuity ScaleCTASrural ED
Type
Original Research • Recherche originale
Information
Canadian Journal of Emergency Medicine , Volume 10 , Issue 3 , May 2008 , pp. 209 - 214
Copyright
Copyright © Canadian Association of Emergency Physicians 2008

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