The Association Between Emergency Department Revisit and Elderly Patients.

Area of Science:

• Geriatric Medicine
• Emergency Medicine
• Health Services Research

Background:

• Emergency department (ED) revisits are linked to adverse events and increased healthcare costs.
• The study was conducted in a Taiwanese university-affiliated hospital serving a region with a high elderly population.
• Identifying risk factors for ED revisits is essential for improving patient care and resource allocation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine if advanced age is a significant risk factor for emergency department revisits.
• To analyze factors contributing to hospital readmissions within 72 hours of initial ED discharge.

Main Methods:

• A retrospective study included 239,405 patients visiting the ED between July 2011 and June 2016.
• Data on patient factors associated with revisits were extracted from a medical information database.
• Statistical analyses included Chi-square tests, independent t-tests, and logistic regression for multivariable analysis.

Main Results:

• Old age (≥ 65 years) was identified as a risk factor for ED revisit (OR: 1.14; 95% CI: 1.09-1.19).
• Several other factors, including diagnosis, vital signs, triage level, and gender, may influence ED revisit rates.
• 13,272 patients (approximately 5.5%) experienced ED revisits within 72 hours.

Conclusions:

• Advanced age is a risk factor for emergency department revisits in this patient population.
• The association between old age and ED revisits was found to be weak.
• Further research may explore the interplay of various clinical and demographic factors influencing ED revisits.