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Factors Influencing Pediatric Emergency Department Visits for Low-Acuity Conditions

Christina M Long, Casey Mehrhoff1, Eman Abdel-Latief1

  • 1Department of Pediatrics, Loyola University Medical Center, Maywood, IL.

Pediatric Emergency Care
|July 19, 2018
PubMed

Insights

Many parents choose the emergency department (ED) over primary care physicians (PCPs) due to perceived lack of after-hours availability. Educating patients on PCP services can reduce nonurgent ED visits.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Emergency Medicine
  • Health Services Research

Background:

  • Emergency department (ED) overcrowding is a significant issue, with pediatric patients contributing to the problem.
  • Understanding parental decision-making for seeking care is crucial for optimizing healthcare resource allocation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To identify factors influencing parents' decisions to utilize the ED instead of their primary care physician (PCP) for pediatric care.
  • To explore parental perceptions of PCP availability and illness severity.

Main Methods:

  • A cross-sectional online survey was conducted in a pediatric ED.
  • The survey targeted parents/guardians of low-acuity pediatric patients.
  • Data collected included PCP establishment, availability, perceived severity, and reasons for ED choice.

Main Results:

  • Most surveyed patients had an established PCP.
  • Over two-thirds did not contact their PCP before visiting the ED.
  • Nearly half of parents perceived their PCP lacked after-hours or weekend availability, though many would wait 24 hours for an appointment.

Conclusions:

  • Parental misperceptions regarding PCP extended hours contribute to ED overuse.
  • Perceived illness severity by parents often exceeded medical staff assessments.
  • Improving patient health literacy on PCP services and appropriate ED use can decrease nonurgent ED visits.
Abstract

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