title: Understanding drivers of Demand for Emergency Service Trends in Years 2010-2014 in New South Wales: An initial overview of the DESTINY project.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study aims to describe the general characteristics and data definitions used in a population-based data set of ED presentations in New South Wales (NSW), used to form the basis of future-trend analyses.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective analysis of the Emergency Department Data Collection registry, which provided clinical and demographic information of ED presentations across all EDs in NSW between 2010 and 2014. Presenting problems and ED diagnoses were classified using broad clinical categories including injury/musculoskeletal, respiratory, cardiovascular, ear nose and throat, and mental health. Presentations were linked by patient to allow for analysis of representations, and population data were obtained from the Australian Bureau of Statistics.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were 11.8 million presentations that were analysed from 150 EDs (80.6% of all EDs). The rate of ED presentations was highest in those aged 85 years and older and appears to increase across all age groups between 2010 and 2014. The most common ED diagnosis categories were injury/musculoskeletal (27.5%) followed by abdominal/gastrointestinal (12.3%), respiratory (9%) and cardiovascular (8%). Both the Systematised Nomenclature of Medicine Clinical Terms (66%) and the International Classification of Diseases (24%) were used to code ED diagnoses.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The elderly population had the highest rate of ED attendances. The use of diverse diagnosis classifications and source information systems may present problems with further analysis. Patterns and characteristics of ED presentations in NSW were broadly consistent with those reported in other states in Australia.
authors: Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.|Discipline of Emergency Medicine, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
authors: Michael M
authors: MM
authors: Dinh
authors: Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.|School of Nursing, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
authors: Saartje
authors: S
authors: Berendsen Russell
authors: Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
authors: Kendall J
authors: KJ
authors: Bein
authors: Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
authors: Dane
authors: D
authors: Chalkley
authors: School of Public Health and Community Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
authors: David
authors: D
authors: Muscatello
authors: Discipline of Emergency Medicine, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
authors: Richard
authors: R
authors: Paoloni
authors: The George Institute for Global Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.|School of Nursing and Midwifery, Flinders University, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.
authors: Rebecca
authors: R
authors: Ivers
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D005544:Forecasting / Q000379:methods*; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand / Q000706:statistics & numerical data / Q000639:trends*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009517:New South Wales; D011159:Population Surveillance; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: demand; emergency department; population