Characteristics of All, Occasional, and Frequent Emergency Department Visits Due to Ambulatory Care–Sensitive Conditions in Florida

Adult Aged, 80 and over Male Adolescent Primary Health Care Infant, Newborn Infant Middle Aged Health Services Accessibility 3. Good health 03 medical and health sciences Cross-Sectional Studies Logistic Models 0302 clinical medicine Child, Preschool Ambulatory Care Florida Humans Female Child Emergency Service, Hospital Aged Quality of Health Care
DOI: 10.1097/jac.0b013e318244d222 Publication Date: 2013-07-04T00:06:00Z
ABSTRACT
We studied characteristics of all, occasional, and frequent emergency department (ED) visits due to ambulatory care-sensitive conditions (ACSCs). We used a cross-sectional, split-sample design with multivariate logistic regressions using encounter-level, all-payer ED data from all Florida hospitals for the year of 2005. We evaluated associations of key patient characteristics, characteristics of ED utilization, and availability of primary care physicians in the area, with ED visits for ACSCs. We concluded that factors associated with ED use for ACSCs were similar for occasional and frequent ED users. Therefore, universal strategies for reduction of ED overutilization by increasing access to, timeliness, and quality of primary care for all patients likely to experience ACSCs should be used.
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