Gastrointestinal patients in the emergency room

Of 4,839 patients who visited the Emergency Room (ER) of a 650-bed general hospital (serving a regional population of 220,000) over a period of 28 consecutive days, 436 were suffering from gastrointestinal (GI) problems. The patients, together with their 140 ER doctors, were interviewed by 40 trained interviewers and information concerning demographic data, tests performed, diagnosis, treatment and hospitalization was collected and evaluated. Most of the GI patients (39.9%) were aged 16 years or younger, were Israeli born and were suffering from infections of the GI system. Twenty percent of all GI patients were hospitalized. Most came to the ER on working days although their symptoms began at home. A total of 77.9% of the GI group expected to be treated in the ER and sent home without being hospitalized. The ER, which is open for 24 hours a day, is considered by the population as a kind of an outpatient clinic.