Pediatric emergency department complaints: a three-year analysis of sources and trends.
OBJECTIVE
To identify the incidence and major causes of patient and parental complaints in a pediatric emergency department.


METHODS
Retrospective analysis of complaints received regarding patients seen between January 1987 and December 1989.


METHODS
ED of Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh.


METHODS
All complaints received during the three-year period.


METHODS
Complaints were reviewed for reason, validity, and location at which patient was seen.


RESULTS
One hundred seventy-six complaints from a total of 154,648 ED visits yielded a frequency of 1.1 complaints per 1,000 patient visits. Main reasons for dissatisfaction were misdiagnosis, billing, and inadequate treatment; 49% of complaints were judged valid. There were 0.69 complaints per 1,000 patient visits in the nonurgent medical portion of the ED. Patients seen emergently (critical care and trauma) had a significantly lower complaint frequency of 0.08 per 1,000 patient visits (P less than .001 by chi 2 analysis).


CONCLUSIONS
Assessment of ED complaints is useful to highlight areas of patient dissatisfaction and develop plans for improving patient care.
Chande
V T
VT
Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213.
Bhende
M S
MS
Davis
H W
HW
D000067:Accounts Payable and Receivable; D003258:Consumer Behavior / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D003951:Diagnostic Errors; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000592:standards* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006302:Health Services Research; D006776:Hospitals, Pediatric; D006801:Humans; D010414:Pennsylvania; D011364:Professional Practice / Q000592:standards; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration; D012189:Retrospective Studies