Abstract
Objective: The purpose of this study was to characterize patients with Uncompleted Visits to The Emergency Department (UVTED) and investigate whether they were at increased risk of adverse outcomes compared to those who completed their visits to the Emergency Department (ED).
Methods: All patients aged 18 or above with UVTED between 1 July 2016 and 31 June 2017 were categorized into two groups: 1) left without being seen (LWBS) and 2) Left Against Medical Advice (LAMA). Patient and visit characteristics were compared to patients who completed their visits to the ED. Logistic regression was used to examine the association between UVTED and visit characteristics and adverse outcomes.
Results: Of 24,193 patients with an unscheduled ED visit, 213 (0.88%) had uncompleted visits (143 LWBS and 70 LAMA). Younger age, male sex, civil status not married, lower triage acuity level, and less comorbidity were factors associated with UVTED (p<0.001). Substance abuse was associated with a nine-fold risk of disrupting the visit (OR=9.0, 95% CI, 4.85–16.74). Revisit rates were higher for UVTED, but there was no increased risk of readmission to hospital, and 30-day mortality was zero.
Conclusion: Patients with UVTED make up only a small fraction of total ED visits. Younger unmarried males with low triage levels and patients with a history of substance abuse are likely to disrupt their visits to the ED. However, patients with UVTED do not pose a significant health concern.
Methods: All patients aged 18 or above with UVTED between 1 July 2016 and 31 June 2017 were categorized into two groups: 1) left without being seen (LWBS) and 2) Left Against Medical Advice (LAMA). Patient and visit characteristics were compared to patients who completed their visits to the ED. Logistic regression was used to examine the association between UVTED and visit characteristics and adverse outcomes.
Results: Of 24,193 patients with an unscheduled ED visit, 213 (0.88%) had uncompleted visits (143 LWBS and 70 LAMA). Younger age, male sex, civil status not married, lower triage acuity level, and less comorbidity were factors associated with UVTED (p<0.001). Substance abuse was associated with a nine-fold risk of disrupting the visit (OR=9.0, 95% CI, 4.85–16.74). Revisit rates were higher for UVTED, but there was no increased risk of readmission to hospital, and 30-day mortality was zero.
Conclusion: Patients with UVTED make up only a small fraction of total ED visits. Younger unmarried males with low triage levels and patients with a history of substance abuse are likely to disrupt their visits to the ED. However, patients with UVTED do not pose a significant health concern.
| Originalsprog | Engelsk |
|---|---|
| Artikelnummer | 1071 |
| Tidsskrift | Austin Journal of Emergency and Critical Care Medicine Sciences |
| Vol/bind | 7 |
| Nummer | 1 |
| ISSN | 2380-0879 |
| Status | Udgivet - mar. 2024 |