J Korean Soc Emerg Med.  2016 Apr;27(2):182-188. 10.0000/jksem.2016.27.2.182.

Utilization of Pediatric Emergency Medical Center Depending on Visiting Time

• Song W
• Noh H
• Ahn KO
• Jeong SY
• Suh J

• KMID: 2164248
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.0000/jksem.2016.27.2.182

Abstract

PURPOSE
Many patients who may be treated in primary care clinics resort to emergency centers during the off hours of such clinics. This may cause overcrowding of emergency centers and increased medical expenses. The aim of this study is to consider the optimal management of medical facilities for pediatric patients at night or on holidays.
METHODS
The medical records of patients under the age of 16 years who had visited a pediatric emergency medical center during a two-year period between January 2012 and December 2013 were reviewed retrospectively. We examined how factors including the age group, disease/injury distinction, tentative diagnosis, use of the emergency medical service ambulances, and the final disposition of the patients varied depending on the availability of medical facilities.
RESULTS
Among the 32,951 pediatric patients, approximately half visited the center on holidays (51.6%), and a quarter were injury patients (26.4%). Fever (38.8%) and head injury (16.1%) were the most frequent tentative diagnosis in diseases and injuries, respectively. More visits of infants and toddlers and disease patients occurred on days and hours of low medical service availability, and there were relatively few injury patients in the late night hours.
CONCLUSION
These findings suggest that closing pediatric clinics around midnight is reasonable. More facilities operating at night and on holidays for pediatric patients are needed.

Keyword

Emergencies; Pediatrics; Epidemiology

MeSH Terms

Ambulances
Craniocerebral Trauma
Diagnosis
Emergencies*
Emergency Medical Services
Epidemiology
Fever
Health Resorts
Holidays
Humans
Infant
Medical Records
Pediatrics
Primary Health Care
Retrospective Studies