title: Re-attenders to the emergency department of a major urban hospital serving a population of 290,000.
abstract: The national Emergency Medicine Programme (EMP) in Ireland, defines a re-attender as any patient re-presenting to the Emergency Department (ED) within 28 days with the same chief complaint. A retrospective, electronic patient record audit was carried out on all re-attenders to Connolly ED during November 2012. There were 2919 attendances made up from 2530 patients; 230 patients re-attended a total of 389 times. The re-attendance rate was 13% (389/2919). 63 (27%) were frequent presenters. There was a significantly higher admission rate at second attendance than first (89 (39%) vs 39 (17%), p < 0.001). 25% (57/230) of patients 'left before completion of treatment' (LBCT) at first attendance (significantly higher than the number at second attendance (p < 0.01)). 14/57 (25%) of those who LBCT at first attendance required admission at second attendance. 28/89 (31%) of second attendance admissions were failed discharges from first attendance. Reasons for re-attendance are multi-factorial and include both patient and departmental factors.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ramasubbu
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Collins
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000553:Ambulatory Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D057286:Electronic Health Records; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006786:Hospitals, Urban / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007494:Ireland / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008485:Medical Audit; D008875:Middle Aged; D010343:Patient Admission / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010351:Patient Discharge / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D055815:Young Adult