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Pediatric emergency department utilization habits: a consumer survey
V T Chande1, S E Krug, E F Warm
1Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital, Department of Pediatrics, Cleveland, OH, USA.
Pediatric Emergency Care
|February 1, 1996
Summary
Pediatric emergency department (PED) use varies significantly by insurance type. Educational interventions are needed to address nonurgent visits, especially among those with medical assistance.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Emergency Medicine
- Health Services Research
- Healthcare Access and Utilization
Background:
- Pediatric emergency departments (PEDs) are crucial for acute care but face challenges with nonurgent visits.
- Understanding patient demographics and reasons for PED utilization is key to optimizing resource allocation and patient education.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify distinct pediatric emergency department utilization patterns.
- To inform the development of targeted educational interventions for families.
Main Methods:
- A verbally administered questionnaire was used to collect data from 300 families at an urban university hospital's PED over 17 days.
- Data included child's health status, parental perception of illness severity, primary care provider usage, and insurance status (Medical Assistance vs. Commercial Insurance).
Main Results:
- Significant differences in PED utilization were observed between families with Medical Assistance (MED) and Commercial Insurance (COM).
- COM patients were more likely to be referred to the PED (59% vs. 14%), while MED patients more frequently cited closed primary care provider offices (24% vs. 3%).
- MED patients were less likely to contact their primary care provider before visiting the PED (27% vs. 71%), and COM patients reported higher illness severity scores.
Conclusions:
- Insurance status significantly influences pediatric emergency department use patterns and reasons for visits.
- Educational materials and interventions are necessary to guide families, particularly those with medical assistance, towards appropriate care settings and reduce nonurgent PED utilization.