ED visits by older adults for ambulatory care-sensitive and supply-sensitive conditions

The aim of this study was to examine the effect of advanced age on ED outcomes, including hospitalization for any reason, ambulatory care-sensitive hospitalizations (ACSHs), and supply-sensitive hospitalizations.

A secondary data analysis of the National Hospital Ambulatory Care Survey was conducted. National estimates of patient visits were obtained using available sampling weights from National Hospital Ambulatory Care Survey, and population estimates were calculated using estimates published by the US Census Bureau.

Older adults made 48 million patient visits to ED between 2000 and 2002. Overall, 20.3% was for an ambulatory care-sensitive condition, yielding 5 million ACSH, whereas 62% was for a supply-sensitive condition, yielding 9.5 million supply-sensitive hospitalizations. Residents from nursing homes and patients aged 85 years or older were more likely to be hospitalized for any reason, for ACSH, and for supply-sensitive conditions.

Further research is needed to understand how comorbidity contributes to increasing ED and hospital use among older adults.