Emergency Department Utilization Patterns Research Articles

The impact of reduced pediatric emergency care hours on the patterns of emergency department utilization

Purpose: The declining recruitment rate of pediatric residents in Korea has led to a decrease in the number of emergency departments (EDs) offering a 24/7 pediatric emergency care (PEC). This study evaluated the impact of reduced PEC hours on the utilization patterns of a single ED.Methods: We reviewed medical records of pediatric patients who were defined as individuals aged 14 years or younger undergoing pediatricians’ practices in a tertiary hospital ED in Korea. Given the reduction of PEC hours from full-time to 08:00-24:00 on September 27, 2022, the patients were grouped as those who visited during March 27, 2022-September 26, 2022 (“control”), and those who visited during September 27, 2022-March 26, 2023 (“reduction”). The following variables were analyzed between the 2 periods: the number of patients, age, sex, visits via ambulances, severity by the Korean Triage and Acuity Scale with high acuity (a level 1-2 of the scale), disease-related visits, time of visit, ED length of stay (EDLOS), disposition, chief complaints, and diagnoses.Results: Among 3,577 pediatric patients, 1,315 visited the ED during the reduction period, down by 41.9% in numbers from the control period. From the control to reduction periods, we observed an increase in the median age (from 3.0 years [interquartile range, 1.0-7.0] to 4.0 years [1.0-8.0]; P = 0.005) and decreases in the median EDLOS (from 140.0 minutes [80.0-217.0] to 104.0 minutes [54.0-169.8]; P < 0.001) and proportion of hospitalization (from 22.1% to 12.6%; P < 0.001). No change was observed in the proportions of highacuity cases or chief complaints. We noted decreases in infection-related diagnoses during the reduction.Conclusion: Reducing PEC hours was associated with shorter EDLOS, fewer hospitalizations, and older age, with no difference in the severity. Even with reduced PEC hours, relevant resources should be redistributed to ensure the accessibility to PEC.

59 Comparative Analysis of Emergency Department Utilization Patterns During the COVID-19 International Pandemic: Frequent Users vs General Population

59 Comparative Analysis of Emergency Department Utilization Patterns During the COVID-19 International Pandemic: Frequent Users vs General Population

F.6 Opportunities for improvement: understanding drivers of emergency department visits within 90 days of posterior spinal decompression surgery

Background: Canadian Emergency Departments (EDs) are overburdened. Understanding the drivers for postoperative patients to attend the ED allows for targeted interventions thereby reducing demand. We sought to identify “bounce back” patterns for subsequent QI initiatives. Methods: From April 1, 2016 to March 31, 2022, all provincial ED datasets (EDIS, STAR, Meditech) identified patients presenting within 90 days post-spine surgery. Using Canadian Classification of Health Interventions codes, laminectomies (1SC80) and discectomies (1SE87) demonstrated the highest ED visit rates. Comprehensive chart reviews were conducted identifying surgical and medical reasons for presentation within this timeframe. Results: Reviewing a cohort of 2165 post-decompression patients, 42.1% presented to the ED (n=912) with 62.8% of these directly related to surgery. Primary reasons included wound care (31.6%), pain management (31.6%), and bladder issues (retention or UTI, 11.0%). Simple wound evaluation constituted 49.7% of wound-related visits, with surgical site infection 37.6% and dehiscence 6.6% accounting for the remainder. Pain-related presentations resulted in 72.3% discharge with additional medications, and 27.7% necessitating hospital admission. New or worsening neurologic deficits were reported in 8.9% of ED visits. Conclusions: These findings illuminate crucial aspects of postoperative care and ED utilization patterns. Prioritizing patient education, pain management, and wound care could help alleviate the national ED crisis.

Patterns of Emergency Department Utilization of Adolescents and Young Adults Living with Sickle Cell in North Carolina

Introduction Despite improvements in survival and life expectancy in high-income countries, adolescent and young adults (AYAs) living with sickle cell disease (SCD) remain at significant risk for morbidity and mortality. Our previous work using group-based trajectory modeling (GTBM) has demonstrated that a subset of AYAs with SCD are at risk for significant morbidity with SCD with increased healthcare utilization, vasoocclusive pain episodes, and death, particularly after transition to adult care (Kayle et al., Pediatric Blood & Cancer, 2018). Yet, there is limited insight into which AYAs with SCD are at high risk for poor outcomes. The objective of this study was to identify patterns of emergency department (ED) utilization of AYAs with SCD in NC as individuals age, with the overarching future goal of better predicting which individuals are at highest risk. Methods The NC Hospital Discharge Data (Inpatient, Ambulatory Surgery/Outpatient and ED Databases), 2013-2020 were used. A patient with SCD was defined as a patient who had three or more visits (inpatient, ambulatory surgery, or ED visit) with International Classification of Diseases 9 or 10 codes for SCD within a 5-year period. Date of birth, sex and zip code were used to link patients across the datasets. Demographic variables including age, sex, race and ethnicity were extracted from visit level data. ED visits were defined as all ambulatory ED visits and ED visits that resulted in inpatient admissions between 2013 and 2019. Descriptive statistics were calculated to describe the sample characteristics such as sex and race. The number of ED visits per year across age 14 to 30 years were used as longitudinal variables in GTBM to identify trajectories of latent classes of ED visits. The number of latent classes was determined by model-fit indices such as BIC and entropy. Results There were 3643 participants included in this study. Participants were 95% Black or African American, 53.8% female and 46.2% male, with age ranging from 14-30 years. Our GTBM models identified three latent classes of participants (Figure 1) with similar ED utilization at age 14 years, but divergent predicted annual ED trajectories beginning around 18 years of age. Class 1, comprising 95% of the participants (n=3463) and 54% female, had minimal ED utilization throughout all the years. Class 2, comprising 4% of the participants (n=150) and 51.3% female, had a steady increase in annual ED use, peaking at 20 visits per year by at age 24 years. Class 3, comprising 0.8% of the participants (n=30) and 47% female, had more extreme ED utilization, up to 80 visits per year at age 24 years. Conclusions Using a large longitudinal dataset, we demonstrate distinct patterns of ED utilization among AYAs with SCD by age. Although ED utilization was similar between the groups at age 14 years, a small proportion (~5%) of individuals accounted for the highest ED utilization at older ages. Additionally, amongst the patients with highest ED utilization, there was a marked increase in ED utilization from age 18-24 years, highlighting the highest risk ages within the AYA population, when there is often a transition from pediatric to adult care. There were slightly more males in the highest ED utilization class, highlighting potential gender differences in ED utilization. Our next steps will be to assess which clinical and social factors predict ED utilization trajectory. Limitations in this study include the use of hospital discharge datasets, which may have limited the capture of patients with infrequent acute care visits and limited our ability to examine the role of SCD genotypes and disease-modifying therapy use on ED utilization patterns. Despite these limitations, the study identifies distinct classes of ED use among AYAs with SCD. Understanding and predicting patterns of ED utilization are critical in targeting early interventions towards individuals with the highest risk of healthcare utilization and disproportionate risk for future morbidity.

Emergency department utilization, admissions, and revisits in the United States (New York), Canada (Ontario), and New Zealand: A retrospective cross-sectional analysis.

Emergency department (ED) utilization is a significant concern in many countries, but few population-based studies have compared ED use. Our objective was to compare ED utilization in New York (United States), Ontario (Canada), and New Zealand (NZ). A retrospective cross-sectional analysis of all ED visits between January 1, 2016, and September 30, 2017, for adults ≥18 years using data from the State Emergency Department and Inpatient Databases (New York), the National Ambulatory Care Reporting System and Discharge Abstract Data (Ontario), and the National Non-Admitted Patient Collection and the National Minimum Data Set (New Zealand). Outcomes included age- and sex-standardized per-capita ED utilization (overall and stratified by neighborhood income), ED disposition, and ED revisit and hospitalization within 30 days of ED discharge. There were 10,998,371 ED visits in New York, 8,754,751 in Ontario, and 1,547,801 in New Zealand. Patients were older in Ontario (mean age 51.1 years) compared to New Zealand (50.3) and New York (48.7). Annual sex- and age-standardized per-capita ED utilization was higher in Ontario than New York or New Zealand (443.2 vs. 404.0 or 248.4 visits per 1000 population/year, respectively). In all countries, ED utilization was highest for residents of the lowest income quintile neighborhoods. The proportion of ED visits resulting in hospitalization was higher in New Zealand (34.5%) compared to New York (20.8%) and Ontario (12.8%). Thirty-day ED revisits were higher in Ontario (27.0%) than New Zealand (18.6%) or New York (21.4%). Patterns of ED utilization differed widely across three high-income countries. These differences highlight the varying approaches that our countries take with respect to urgent visits, suggest opportunities for shared learning through international comparisons, and raise important questions about optimal approaches for all countries.

Emergency department utilization and disposition outcomes by pediatric patients with cancer in Maryland and New York from 2013 to 2017.

Pediatric patients with cancer commonly seek emergency department (ED) care, yet there is limited evidence on ED utilization patterns and disposition outcomes among these patients. Retrospective analysis of the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project State Emergency Department Databases and State Inpatient Databases for Maryland and New York from 2013 to 2017. We compared ED visits and disposition outcomes for 5.8 million pediatric patients (<18years old) with and without cancer, and used multivariable regressions to estimate associations between the number of ED visits, hospital (inpatient) admissions through the ED, and ED or inpatient mortality and sociodemographic and clinical factors within the cancer cohort. Pediatric patients with cancer had more ED visits per year on average (2.4 vs. 1.5, p<.001), higher shares of admissions (56.8% vs. 6.6%, p<.001) and mortality (1.2% vs. 0.1%, p<.001) compared to those without cancer. Among patients with cancer, uninsured pediatric patients had fewer ED visits and lower risk of admission to a hospital through the ED compared to those with Medicaid coverage (total visits: incidence rate ratio [IRR]: 0.82, 95% confidence intervals [CI]: 0.75-0.90; admission: IRR: 0.75, 95% CI: 0.65-0.86). Mortality risks were higher for pediatric patients with cancer residing in areas with the lowest median household income, and with no health insurance coverage (IRR: 2.81, 95% CI: 1.21-6.51) compared to Medicaid. Our findings emphasize the importance of enhancing health insurance coverage policies and social services for pediatric patients with cancer and their families to address clinical and nonclinical needs.

Patient Management in the Emergency Department during a COVID-19 Pandemic.

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, international action has been taken to prevent the spread of the disease. The aim of this study is to establish the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on emergency department utilization patterns in Poland. It was established that age (among COVID-19 positive patients) has a large influence on the occurrence of a mental illness or disorder. It has been proven that the older the person (patients diagnosed with U07.1), the more often mental diseases/disorders are diagnosed (p = 0.009–0.044). Gender decides the course of hospitalization to the disadvantage of men (p = 0.022). Men diagnosed with U07.1 stay much longer in specialized long-term care units. Lower-aged patients have a shorter hospitalization time (up to the age of 29; p = 0.017). The COVID-19 pandemic has placed healthcare systems, their staff, and their patients in an unprecedented situation. Our study showed changes in the number and characteristics of patients visiting the ED during COVID-19. Despite the shift in the center of gravity of health system functioning to the treatment of SARS-CoV-2 infected patients, care must be taken to ensure that uninfected patients have access to treatment for cardiovascular, mental health, oncological, and other diseases.

Geographic inequalities in paediatric emergency department visits in Ontario and Alberta: a multilevel analysis of 2.5 million visits

BackgroundResearch on intra- and inter-regional variations in emergency department (ED) visits among children can provide a better understanding of the patterns of ED utilization and further insight into how contextual features of the urban environment may be associated with these health events. Our objectives were to assess intra-urban and inter-urban variation in paediatric emergency department (PED) visits in census metropolitan areas (CMAs) in Ontario and Alberta, Canada and explore if contextual factors related to material and social deprivation, proximity to healthcare facilities, and supply of family physicians explain this variation.MethodsA retrospective, population-based analysis of data on PED visits recorded between April 1, 2015 and March 31, 2017 was conducted. Random intercept multilevel regression models were constructed to quantify the intra- (between forward sortation areas [FSAs]) and inter- (between CMAs) variations in the rates of PED visits.ResultsIn total, 2,537,442 PED visits were included in the study. The overall crude FSA-level rate of PED visits was 415.4 per 1,000 children population. Across CMAs, the crude rate of PED visits was highest in Thunder Bay, Ontario (771.6) and lowest in Windsor, Ontario (237.2). There was evidence of substantial intra- and inter-urban variation in the rates of PED visits. More socially deprived FSAs, FSAs with decreased proximity to healthcare facilities, and CMAs with a higher rate of family physicians per 1,000 children population had higher rates of PED visits.ConclusionsThe variation in rates of PED visits across CMAs and FSAs cannot be fully accounted for by age and sex distributions, material and social deprivation, proximity to healthcare facilities, or supply of family physicians. There is a need to explore additional contextual factors to better understand why some metropolitan areas have higher rates of PED visits.

The impact of COVID-19 pandemic on emergency department visits and associated mortality during 14 months of the pandemic in Israel

BackgroundA substantial drop in emergency department (ED) visit volume was previously demonstrated at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.ObjectiveTo examine changes in the number of non-COVID adult ED visits and their associated 30-day mortality during 14 months of the pandemic in Israel.MethodsThis is a retrospective cohort study including 1,285,270 adult ED visits between 1st March, 2018 and 30th April, 2021 to the internal and surgical EDS in eight general hospitals of the largest healthcare organization in Israel. The 14 months of the pandemic period (March 2020–April 2021) were divided into seven periods according to dates of the three lockdowns. Exposure to each of these periods was compared to the parallel period during the two previous years. March 2020–April 2021 was compared to the parallel periods in 2018 and 2019.ResultsDuring the pandemic period, the largest decline in ED visits (44.6% and 50.9% for internal and surgical EDs, respectively) and the highest excess 30-day mortality following an ED visit (internal EDs Adjusted OR (ORadj), 1.49; 95% CI, 1.34–1.66 and surgical EDs: ORadj 1.50; CI, 1.16–1.94) were 95%, observed during the first lockdown. Both gradually levelled-off subsequently until near-normalization was reached in March–April 2021 for both parameters.ConclusionsA substantial decline in non-COVID ED visits and excess mortality at the beginning of the pandemic, are probably the results of social distancing restrictions alongside patients’ fear of exposure to COVID-19, which gradually moderated thereafter, until near normalization was reached after 14 months. Gradual return to pre-pandemic ED utilization patterns were noticed as the population and the healthcare system acclimatize to life alongside COVID.

Effect of an Emergency Department Closure on Homeless Patients and Adjacent Hospitals.

IntroductionHomeless and housed patients differ on several emergency department (ED) metrics (emergency medical services [EMS] use, chief complaints, admission rates, etc.). On January 1, 2018, Memorial Hospital (MH), a safety-net hospital in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, closed. We studied the impact of this closure by analyzing homeless patient utilization of the two closest EDs before and after MH closed.MethodsA retrospective chart review compared the ED records of The Miriam Hospital (TMH), (1.8 miles from MH) and Rhode Island Hospital (RIH), (4.3 miles from MH). We analyzed visits between January 1, 2017–December 30, 2018. (MH closed on 1/1/2018). Patients were identified as homeless if their address listed was either “homeless” or a shelter/homeless service provider. All other patients were assumed to be housed. We removed from the analysis visits without an address listed or visits missing other key study variables (1.6% of the total).ResultsA total of 113,925 unique patients visited the RIH and TMH EDs in 2017, as well as 117,167 in 2018. Homeless patients accounted for 1.18% of patients seen in 2017 and 1.32% in 2018. Between 2017 and 2018, this represents an increase of individual homeless patients of 15.46% (1553-1345), while the number of unique housed patients increased by 2.69% (115,614-112,580). The closer hospital, TMH, saw a 43.72% increase in homeless visits, while RIH saw an 8% increase. Homeless patients were discharged significantly more often than housed patients (74% vs 65%) and had significantly longer time to admission (466.0 vs 304.0 minutes) and discharge (397.9 vs 263.7 minutes) compared to housed patients. Homeless patients presented with suicidality (8.61% of visits) and alcohol-related concerns (29.88% of visits) significantly more than housed patients (1.43% and 2.94%, respectively).ConclusionWhen a local ED closes, other EDs are impacted. We found visits made by homeless patients increased more than those made by housed patients and skewed significantly toward the closer hospital. We also found that homeless patients spend significantly more time in the ED and presented with behavioral health complaints more frequently. This impact of hospital closure on patterns of ED utilization by homeless patients has implications for ED management and homeless services both in the ED and the community.

Emergency Department Utilization Patterns in Patients with Opioid-Related Emergency Department Visits

Background: Opioid-related Emergency Department (ED) visits have surged over the past decade. There is limited data on ED utilization patterns of patients with opioid use disorder (OUD). An improved understanding of utilization may underscore missed opportunities for screening, intervention and referral. Methods: This was a retrospective 2:1 matched case-control study conducted at a single urban ED. Cases were patients with an opioid-related index ED visit from June 1, 2017 to May 31, 2018. Controls were patients with a non-opioid related index ED visit from June 1, 2018 to May 31, 2019. The primary outcome was the association between the number of ED visits in the 24-month period surrounding the index visit (12 months prior and 12 months following) and having an opioid-related index ED visit. Results: There were a total of 224 cases. One or more visits preceding (OR: 1.63, 95% CI: 1.17, 2.26) and following the index visit (OR: 2.69, 95% CI: 1.91, 3.78) was significantly associated with case status. Following adjustment, a higher number of visits preceding (aOR: 1.24, 95% CI: 1.08, 1.43) and following the index visit (aOR: 1.39, 95% CI: 1.23, 1.57) remained significantly associated with case status. Conclusion: Patients with an opioid-related index ED visit had significantly higher rates of ED utilization 12 months before and after the index visit when compared to a matched control population. These findings suggest that there are significant opportunities for ED intervention and referral to treatment both prior to and following an opioid-related ED visit in this patient population.

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on emergency department utilization patterns in South Korea: A retrospective observational study.

The purpose of analyzing changes in the use of emergency departments (EDs) was to better understand how to use ED resources efficiently during infectious disease outbreaks.Our study was a retrospective observational study. We analyzed the patterns of visits of adult and pediatric patients to separate EDs during 2020 coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak to know the changes in the ED utilization. We collected the patient's demographics and time of visit, patients’ acuity level at triage, cause of visit, transportation used, disposition, symptom to visit time, length of stay, and top 10 most common complaints. We compared pediatric and adult EDs before and after COVID-19.The total number of patients who visited the EDs was 197,152 over 3 years. During the COVID-19 outbreak in 2020, the number of visits decreased significantly, especially the number of pediatric patients. The number of ED visits decreased in correlation with a surge in the number of confirmed COVID patients. The proportion of severe cases in pediatric emergency department (PED) visits increased, but there was no difference in adult emergency department. The number of hospitalized PED patients increased, and the number of hospitalized adult emergency department patients decreased. However, both types of ED patients increased in intensive care unit hospitalizations, proportion of deaths, and use of ambulances. The proportion of trauma patients in the PED increased significantly (P < .001). The time from symptom onset to ED visit time was reduced for patients. The ED length of stay increased in adults, and decreased for pediatric patients.COVID-19 brought about many changes to ED utilization. A greater reduction in ED utilization occurred in pediatric patients compared to adult patients. Our study showed changes in the number and characteristics of patients visiting the ED during the COVID-19 period compared to 2018 and 2019.

Comorbid Patterns in the Homeless Population: A Theoretical Model to Enhance Patient Care.

IntroductionFrom the perspective of social determinants, homelessness perpetuates poor health and creates barriers to effective chronic disease management, necessitating frequent use of emergency department (ED) services. In this study we developed a screening algorithm (checklist) from common comorbidities observed in the homeless population in the United States. The result was a theoretical screening tool (checklist) to aid healthcare workers in the ED, including residents, medical students, and other trainees, to provide more efficacious treatment and referrals for discharge.MethodsIn this retrospective cohort study we used the Nationwide Emergency Department Sample (NEDS) to investigate comorbidities and ED utilization patterns relating to 23 injury-related, psychiatric, and frequent chronic medical conditions in the US adult (≥18 years of age) homeless population. Cases were identified from the NEDS database for 2014–2017 using International Classification of Diseases, 9th and 10 revisions, and Clinical Classification Software diagnosis codes. We performed a two-step cluster analysis including pathologies with ≥10% prevalence in the sample to identify shared comorbidities. We then compared the clusters by sociodemographic and ED-related characteristics, including age, gender, primary payer, and patient disposition from the ED. Chi-square analysis was used to evaluate categorical variables (ie, gender, primary payer, patient disposition from the ED), and analysis of variance for continuous variables (age).ResultsThe study included 1,715,777 weighted cases. The two-step cluster analysis identified nine groups denominated by most prevalent disease: 1) healthy; 2) mixed psychiatric; 3) major depressive disorder (MDD); 4) psychosis; 5) addiction; 6) essential hypertension; 7) chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD); 8) infectious disease; and (9) injury. The MDD, COPD, infectious disease, and Injury clusters demonstrated the highest prevalence of co-occurring disease, with the MDD cluster displaying the highest proportion of comorbidities. Although the addiction cluster existed independently, substance use was pervasive in all except the healthy cluster (prevalence 36–100%). We used the extracted screening algorithm to establish a screening tool (checklist) for ED healthcare workers, with physicians as the first point of contact for the initial use of the screening tool.ConclusionHealthcare workers in the ED, including residents, medical students, and other trainees, provide services for homeless ED users. Screening tools (checklists) can help coordinate care to improve treatment, referrals, and follow-up care to reduce hospital readmissions. The screening tool may expedite targeted interventions for homeless patients with commonly occurring patterns of disease.

Emergency Department Utilization Patterns Among Physical Elder Abuse Victims in Comparison to Other Older Adults

Background: Physical elder abuse is common and has serious health consequences. Little is known, however, about the patterns of health care utilization among these victims, including whether opportunities may exist for earlier identification and intervention. Our goal was to describe Emergency Department (ED) utilization known physical elder abuse victims compared with non-victims. Methods: We used Medicare insurance claims to examine ED utilization patterns among a well-characterized cohort of 139 known physical elder abuse victims in the year before abuse was identified and compared this to control subjects matched on age, sex, race, and residential zip code. Results: Physical elder abuse victims were significantly more likely than control subjects to visit the ED (47.5% vs. 35.9%, p=0.01) during the year before identification and to have at least one visit for an injury-related complaint (14.4% vs. 8.3%, p=0.03). Victims were also more likely to have multiple visits (18.7% vs. 14.6%, p=0.24), visit multiple EDs (7.9% vs. 6.7%, p=0.63), or be high frequency utilizers (≥4 visits, 3.6% vs. 2.7%, p=0.58), but differences did not reach statistical significance. The most common diagnoses in ED visits among victims were: open wound of knee/ankle, exacerbation of chronic bronchitis, pneumonia, and chest pain. Conclusion: This work provides preliminary evidence that physical elder abuse victims use the ED more frequently and potentially have different patterns of utilization than other older adults. We plan to further characterize these different patterns to potentially to use them to develop tools for earlier identification.

The Association of Demographic, Socioeconomic, and Geographic Factors with Potentially Preventable Emergency Department Utilization.

IntroductionPrevention quality indicators (PQI) are a set of measures used to characterize healthcare utilization for conditions identified as being potentially preventable with high quality ambulatory care. These indicators have recently been adapted for emergency department (ED) patient presentations. In this study the authors sought to identify opportunities to potentially prevent emergency conditions and to strengthen systems of ambulatory care by analyzing patterns of ED utilization for PQI conditions.MethodsUsing multivariable logistic regression, the authors analyzed the relationship of patient demographics and neighborhood-level socioeconomic indicators with ED utilization for PQI conditions based on ED visits at an urban, academic medical center in 2017. We also used multilevel modeling to assess the contribution of these variables to neighborhood-level variation in the likelihood of an ED visit for a PQI condition.ResultsOf the included 98,522 visits, 17.5% were categorized as potentially preventable based on the ED PQI definition. On multivariate analysis, age < 18 years, Black race, and Medicare insurance had the strongest positive associations with PQI visits, with adjusted odds ratios (aOR) of 1.41 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.29, 1.56), 1.40 (95% CI, 1.22, 1.61), and 1.40 (95% CI, 1.28, 1.54), respectively. All included neighborhood-level socioeconomic variables were significantly associated with PQI visit likelihood on univariable analysis; however; only level of education attainment and private car ownership remained significantly associated in the multivariable model, with aOR of 1.13 (95% CI, 1.10, 1.17) and 0.96 (95% CI, 0.93, 0.99) per quartile increase, respectively. This multilevel model demonstrated significant variation in PQI visit likelihood attributable to neighborhood, with interclass correlation decreasing from 5.92% (95% CI, 5.20, 6.73) in our unadjusted model to 4.12% (95% CI, 3.47, 4.87) in our fully adjusted model and median OR similarly decreasing from 1.54 to 1.43.ConclusionDemographic and local socioeconomic factors were significantly associated with ED utilization for PQI conditions. Future public health efforts can bolster efforts to target underlying social drivers of health and support access to primary care for patients who are Black, Latino, pediatric, or Medicare-dependent to potentially prevent emergency conditions (and the need for emergency care). Further research is needed to explore other factors beyond demographics and socioeconomic characteristics driving spatial variation in ED PQI visit likelihood.

TU43. SCARS OF SOCIOECONOMIC STRESS: EPIGENETIC AGE

Emergency department (ED) visits have continued to rise, and frequent ED users account for up to 8% of all ED visits. Reducing visits by frequent ED users may be one way to help reduce health care costs. We hypothesize that frequent users have unique ED utilization patterns resulting in differences in health care charges.We conducted a retrospective review of electronic medical records from an urban community teaching hospital for the year 2012 comparing the top 108 frequent ED users (> 12 visits/year) to a randomly selected group of 108 nonfrequent users (< 4 visits/year). We compared demographic characteristics, distance lived from the hospital, medical and psychiatric history, substance abuse history, diagnostic testing, disposition, and amount charged to the patient for each visit. We compared data using χ2 for proportions and t test or Wilcoxon rank sum based on normality of the data.The top 108 frequent ED users accounted for 1922 visits (2.9%), whereas the 108 nonfrequent users accounted for 150 visits (0.2%), in 2012 (all ED visits n = 65,398). Frequent users were more often unemployed, have public insurance, have mental health conditions, use tobacco, have a greater number of allergies to medications, and live closer to the hospital (P < .01). Disposition and median charge per visit did not differ between frequent and nonfrequent users ($1220 vs $1280). The total charges of the frequent ED users’ visits were $10,465,216.07 versus $1,012,610.21 for nonfrequent users.Frequent users have unique medical and social characteristics; however, disposition and visit charges did not differ from nonfrequent users.

Emergency Department Access During COVID-19: Disparities in Utilization by Race/Ethnicity, Insurance, and Income.

IntroductionIn March 2020, shelter-in-place orders were enacted to attenuate the spread of coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19). Emergency departments (EDs) experienced unexpected and dramatic decreases in patient volume, raising concerns about exacerbating health disparities.MethodsWe queried our electronic health record to describe the overall change in visits to a two-ED healthcare system in Northern California from March–June 2020 compared to 2019. We compared weekly absolute numbers and proportional change in visits focusing on race/ethnicity, insurance, household income, and acuity. We calculated the z-score to identify whether there was a statistically significant difference in proportions between 2020 and 2019.ResultsOverall ED volume declined 28% during the study period. The nadir of volume was 52% of 2019 levels and occurred five weeks after a shelter-in-place order was enacted. Patient demographics also shifted. By week 4 (April 5), the proportion of Hispanic patients decreased by 3.3 percentage points (pp) (P = 0.0053) compared to a 6.2 pp increase in White patients (P = 0.000005). The proportion of patients with commercial insurance increased by 11.6 pp, while Medicaid visits decreased by 9.5 pp (P < 0.00001) at the initiation of shelter-in-place orders. For patients from neighborhoods <300% federal poverty levels (FPL), visits were −3.8 pp (P = 0.000046) of baseline compared to +2.9 pp (P = 0.0044) for patients from ZIP codes at >400% FPL the week of the shelter-in-place order. Overall, 2020 evidenced a consistently elevated proportion of high-acuity Emergency Severity Index (ESI) level 1 patients compared to 2019. Increased acuity was also demonstrated by an increase in the admission rate, with a 10.8 pp increase from 2019. Although there was an increased proportion of high-acuity patients, the overall census was decreased.ConclusionOur results demonstrate changing ED utilization patterns circa the shelter-in-place orders. Those from historically vulnerable populations such as Hispanics, those from lower socioeconomic areas, and Medicaid users presented at disproportionately lower rates and numbers than other groups. As the pandemic continues, hospitals should use operations data to monitor utilization patterns by demographic, in addition to clinical indicators. Messaging about availability of emergency care and other services should include vulnerable populations to avoid exacerbating healthcare disparities.

A Mixed-Methods Investigation into Patients' Decisions to Attend an Emergency Department for Chronic Pain.

This study explored factors that underpin decisions to seek emergency department (ED) care for chronic noncancer pain in patients identifying as culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) or Australian born. This mixed-methods study was underpinned by the Behavioral Model of Health Services Use conceptual framework. Consenting consecutive patients attending the ED for a chronic pain condition were recruited to a CALD (n = 45) or Australian-born (n = 45) cohort. Statistical comparisons compared the demographic, pain, health literacy, and episode of care profiles of both cohorts. Twenty-three CALD and 16 Australian-born participants consented to an audio-recorded semi-structured interview (n = 24) or focus group (n = 5 focus groups) conducted in their preferred language. Interviews were translated and transcribed into English for analysis using applied thematic analysis, guided by the conceptual framework. Data were triangulated to investigate the patterns of ED utilization and contributing factors for both cohorts. ED attendance was a product of escalating distress, influenced by the degree to which participants' perceived needs outweighed their capacity to manage their pain. This interaction was amplified by the presence of predisposing factors, including constrained social positions, trauma exposure, and biomedical health beliefs. Importantly, experiences varied between the two cohorts with higher degrees of pain catastrophizing, lower health literacy, and greater social challenges present for the CALD cohort. This study highlights the role contextual factors play in amplifying pain-related distress for CALD and Australian-born patients with chronic pain. The findings support a need for health care providers to recognize features of higher vulnerability and consider streamlining access to available support services.

The Prevalence and Emergency Department Utilization of Patients Who Underwent Single and Double Inter-hospital Transfers in the Emergency Department: a Nationwide Population-based Study in Korea, 2016-2018.

BackgroundInter-hospital transfer (IHT) for emergency department (ED) admission is a burden to high-level EDs. This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence and ED utilization patterns of patients who underwent single and double IHTs at high-level EDs in South Korea.MethodsThis nationwide cross-sectional study analyzed data from the National Emergency Department Information System for the period of 2016–2018. All the patients who underwent IHT at Level I and II emergency centers during this time period were included. The patients were categorized into the single-transfer and double-transfer groups. The clinical characteristics and ED utilization patterns were compared between the two groups.ResultsWe found that 2.1% of the patients in the ED (n = 265,046) underwent IHTs; 18.1% of the pediatric patients (n = 3,556), and 24.2% of the adult patients (n = 59,498) underwent double transfers. Both pediatric (median, 141.0 vs. 208.0 minutes, P < 0.001) and adult (median, 189.0 vs. 308.0 minutes, P < 0.001) patients in the double-transfer group had longer duration of stay in the EDs. Patient's request was the reason for transfer in 41.9% of all IHTs (111,076 of 265,046). Unavailability of medical resources was the reason for transfer in 30.0% of the double transfers (18,920 of 64,054).ConclusionThe incidence of double-transfer of patients is increasing. The main reasons for double transfers were patient's request and unavailability of medical resources at the first-transfer hospitals. Emergency physicians and policymakers should focus on lowering the number of preventable double transfers.

An assessment of emergency department visits for cardiovascular diseases in the early phase of the COVID-19 pandemic in Istanbul

Objectives: The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has had a severe impact with an excess of one hundred million cases and over two million deaths worldwide. Countries have adopted different paths toward ‘flattening the curve’; however, many countries observed a common trend of people avoiding emergency departments (ED) for varying reasons. This study aims to investigate the ED utilization patterns of patients with cardiovascular diseases (CVD) in the early phases of COVID-19 in Istanbul, Turkey. Methods: The data were retrospectively collected in eight hospitals, which were authorized and declared as pandemic hospitals by the Turkish Ministry of Health. The data for these two particular periods of 1st March–30th June were compared between 2019 and 2020. Results: A substantial and statistically significant decrease of 22.7% was observed in the total number of visits to EDs for cases of CVD from 534 cases in 2019 to 413 cases in 2020. ED visits showed statistically insignificant decreases of 11.6% for acute coronary syndrome/ACS) and 30.6% for cerebrovascular events (CVE) between 2019 and 2020. Of the total 422 ACS cases, 67.8% were male and 32.2% were female; and of the 525 CVE cases, 50.3% were male and 49.7% were female. The median ages were 61 [6–97] for men and 69 [19–103] for women; the median ages were 59 [19–97] for patients with ACS and 68 [6–103] for patients with CVE. In 2020, the number of ACS cases showed a steady trend between March 1st and June 30th, followed by a prominent increase in June 2020. The monthly trends appeared to be very similar for CVE cases for 2019 and 2020. Of the 379 hospitalizations, 56.2% were diagnosed with ACS and 43.8% with CVE. Conclusions: The findings suggest that patients tended to avoid timely medical care during the pandemic compared to pre-COVID-19. Stay-at-home orders and attempts to avoid contact with the virus may explain the dramatic decrease in the number of ED visits.