Predictors of repeat emergency department visits among patients aged over 65 years

The objective of our study was to evaluate the predictors of repeat visits at Emergency Department (ED) in patients aged ≥ 65 years.

A prospective observational study was conducted over a month. Inclusion:  patients (age> = 65 year) seen in the ED and leaving the same day. The epidemiological and clinical characteristics at the first visit (index visit (IV)) were collected. The Identification of Senior At Risk (ISAR) score was used to assess our patients. The number of visits (n ≥ 2) to ED within 30 days of the IV was estimated by a phone contact.

Inclusion of125 patients. Mean age = 76 +/- 7 years. The sex ratio was 0.85. Twenty five percent of our patients made repeat visits the following period. Univariate analysis identified: age> 75 years, mean ISAR score>2, history of renal failure, ED visit a month prior to the IV, hospitalization in the last 6 months, patients who depend on someone else help at home and those taking more than 3 medications daily. In multivariate analysis, ED visit a month prior to the IV, hospitalization in the last 6 months, and patients who depend on someone else help at home were independent factors of repeat visits to the ED.

Efforts to identify patients at high risk of repeat visits to the ED should be made.