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Non-urgent presentations to a paediatric emergency department: parental behaviours, expectations and outcomes
Mary Ryan1, Maureen Spicer, Carlie Hyett
1Department of Emergency Medicine, Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. ryanmary@doctors.org.uk
Insights
Parents expect immediate diagnosis and treatment for children with non-urgent issues at pediatric emergency departments (EDs). Offering faster outpatient clinic access could meet these expectations and conserve ED resources.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Emergency Medicine
- Healthcare Management
Background:
- Children with non-urgent medical issues frequently attend tertiary pediatric emergency departments (EDs).
- Parental expectations regarding the outcomes of these visits are often high.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine factors influencing attendance of children with non-urgent medical problems at a pediatric ED.
- To define parental expectations for hospital visits for non-urgent pediatric conditions.
Main Methods:
- A questionnaire was administered to 200 parents/carers of children with non-urgent problems (duration ≥ 4 weeks) presenting to a pediatric ED.
- Retrospective analysis of subsequent outpatient attendances was performed.
Main Results:
- Most children had previously seen a general practitioner but were dissatisfied with the outcome.
- The majority of parents expected immediate diagnosis and treatment from the hospital.
- Only a small proportion of patients (four) required hospital admission.
Conclusions:
- Parents attending pediatric EDs with children experiencing non-urgent, chronic complaints have elevated expectations.
- Enhanced access to outpatient clinics may serve as a suitable alternative, potentially optimizing ED resource utilization.
Objectives:
To identify factors that influence the attendance of children with non-urgent medical problems to a tertiary paediatric ED and to define parental expectations of the hospital visit.
Methods:
A questionnaire administered to a convenience sample of 200 parents/carers who attended the paediatric ED and whose children were categorized as having non-urgent problems that had been present for at least 4 weeks. Subsequent outpatient attendances were then analysed retrospectively.
Results:
Most patients had visited a general practitioner but remained unhappy with the outcome of the consultation. The hospital was expected to provide immediate diagnosis and initiate appropriate treatment by the vast majority of parent. Only four patients required admission.
Conclusions:
The expectations of parents who attend the paediatric ED with children who have non-urgent chronic complaints are high. Rapid access to outpatient clinics might provide an acceptable alternative for these patients, and free valuable ED resources.
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