title: Emergency department use in a rural Australian setting: are the factors prompting attendance appropriate?
abstract: Increases in attendance rates at emergency departments (EDs) have prompted concerns regarding inappropriate utilisation. Factors instigating patient ED attendance were examined using a cross sectional survey of 522 patients presenting to the ED of a rural hospital in Australia, during a 1-week period. The results highlighted the importance of the rural hospital ED as an additional and alternate service to existing primary care facilities, particularly outside of business hours. The findings indicated that although patients' perception of an emergency does not necessarily correspond with clinical interpretations, the primary factors prompting attendance, including general practitioner unavailability, referrals and special service needs, suggest that, from a patients' perspective, the majority of presentations to the ED are justified.
authors.affiliation: Health Informatics, Faculty of Health Sciences, The University of Sydney, PO Box 170, Lidcombe, Sydney, NSW 1825, Australia. j.callen@usyd.edu.au
authors.forename: Joanne L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Callen
authors.forename: Leanne
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Blundell
authors.forename: Mirela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Prgomet
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009517:New South Wales; D012424:Rural Population; D055815:Young Adult