title: Characteristics of all, occasional, and frequent emergency department visits due to ambulatory care-sensitive conditions in Florida.
abstract: We studied characteristics of all, occasional, and frequent emergency department (ED) visits due to ambulatory care-sensitive conditions (ACSCs). We used a cross-sectional, split-sample design with multivariate logistic regressions using encounter-level, all-payer ED data from all Florida hospitals for the year of 2005. We evaluated associations of key patient characteristics, characteristics of ED utilization, and availability of primary care physicians in the area, with ED visits for ACSCs. We concluded that factors associated with ED use for ACSCs were similar for occasional and frequent ED users. Therefore, universal strategies for reduction of ED overutilization by increasing access to, timeliness, and quality of primary care for all patients likely to experience ACSCs should be used.
authors.affiliation: Department of Healthcare Policy and Research, School of Medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23298, USA. achukmaitov@vcu.edu
authors.forename: Askar S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Chukmaitov
authors.forename: Anqi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.forename: Henry J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Carretta
authors.forename: Nir
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Menachemi
authors.forename: Robert G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Brooks
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000553:Ambulatory Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D005431:Florida; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011787:Quality of Health Care