Frequency and patient attributes associated with emergency department visits after discharge: Retrospective cohort study

• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0275215
• Publication Date: 2022-10-14T17:37:19Z
• Authors: Rita Salgado; Bruno Moita; Sílvia Lopes
• Keywords: Adult; Male; Inpatients; Adolescent; Science; Q; R; Aftercare; Middle Aged; Patient Discharge; 3. Good health; 03 medical and health sciences; 0302 clinical medicine; Medicine; Humans; Female; Emergency Service, Hospital; Research Article; Retrospective Studies

The utilization of emergency department (ED) during the post-discharge period may provide relevant insights to reduce fragmentation care, particularly in a context general intense use. We aimed describe frequency and patient attributes associated with visits within 30 days inpatient discharge Portuguese health region-Algarve.Secondary data on for adult patients discharged 2016. To analyse association between outcome-ED visit discharge-and selected variables (admission type groups or individual illnesses/conditions), we used age- sex-adjusted odds ratios (aOR). included all (aged ≥18 years) 2016 from region's public hospital departments. ED also January 2017.For 21,744 adults (mean age: 58 years; 60% female), 23 percent visited at least once discharge. Seventy-five those were triaged high clinical priority. Patients more comorbidities specific illnesses/conditions had significant increased risk returning (aOR 95% confidence intervals-endocrine: 1.566; 1.256-1.951; mental illness: 1.421; 1.180-1.713; respiratory: 1.308; 1.136-1.505).Patients returned after frequently severe reasons. (endocrine, illness respiratory) an ED, so these be prioritized further research system initiatives improve care before