title: [Attendance pattern at an open casualty ward in Greater Copenhagen].
abstract: To analyse the use of a casualty department in Copenhagen, we prospectively analysed all contacts to the casualty department at Hvidovre Hospital during a period of four weeks. There were 3908 contacts and 3851 of these were accessible for registration with a full record (98.5%). The mean intake was 130 patients per 24 hours. Sixty eight percent were seen within 24 hours of the accident or onset of serious symptoms of illness, 22% were admitted by ambulance. A total of 680 patients (18%) came to the hospital rather than their general practitioner for reasons of convenience. Only one third of the patients presented an orthopaedic problem. Twenty-five percent of the patients presented a problem, which properly should have been dealt with by their general practitioner. Eight hundred and forty-seven (22%) of the contacts were unnecessary. Like most other hospitals in Denmark, all patients at Hvidovre casualty department are evaluated by a junior orthopaedic surgeon. By establishing a possibility for primary evaluation and proper distribution of patients by an older and more broadly educated colleague, it should be possible to eliminate approximately 30% of the attendances from the emergency department and there by give better time and treatment for those in real need of help.
authors.affiliation: H:S Hvidovre Hospital, ortopaedkirurgisk afdeling.
authors.forename: S W
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Rasmussen
authors.forename: R N
authors.initials: RN
authors.lastname: Svendsen
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Gringer
mesh_terms: D002983:Clinical Competence; D003718:Denmark; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D010343:Patient Admission; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians'; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D012042:Registries