title: [Exploratory study of an emergency unit in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Analysis of patient care variables in an emergency unit that applies care protocols.
  
  
  METHODS
  
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients admitted to the emergency unit of the São Rafael Hospital in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil, between July 1, 2000 and May 31, 2001. Study of the variables: age, gender, origin (city, district), admission date and hour, medical specialty, patient's disease (coded by ICDM-10), destiny (discharge, observation and discharge, observation and hospital admission), length of stay.
  
  
  RESULTS
  35.4% of the patients were under 14 years old. 86.11% of the admissions took place from 08:00 am to 10:59 pm. 78.96% of all patients were discharged after consultation. 17.86% required observation. Of these, 10.37% were discharged and 7.49% were admitted to the hospital. Length of stay was on the average of 282.9 (+/- 242.54) min. The ICDM-10 "R" group had a higher frequency, (29.5%). The three main causes for emergency unit admissions were fever, diarrhea and dyspnea. 12% of those who came from a distance of up to 5 km required observation and 5.8% needed hospital admission. 20.23% of those that came from a distance farther than 15 km required observation and 12.63% needed hospital admission.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The majority of patients cared for in this emergency unit required low complexity care and the number increases when patients come to the hospital from a shorter distance.
authors.affiliation: Hospital São Rafael-Monte Tabor, Salvador, BA. peter@atarde.com.br
authors.forename: Peter Christian
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Jacobs
authors.forename: Ediriomar Peixoto
authors.initials: EP
authors.lastname: Matos
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001938:Brazil; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D005791:Patient Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*