Bode, L. (Lena) (2018) Patients´ motivation for using the Emergency Department instead of ambulatory medical institutionsResults of a questionnaire-based study among patients who visit the Emergency Department without hospitalization. thesis, Medicine.
Full text available on request.Abstract
Background: Rising numbers of cases in Emergency Departments (EDs) in Germany and worldwide lead to access block and increased length of stay which might result in increased mortality and morbidity of the patient. We aimed to find out the motives of patients to visit the ED instead of ambulatory institutions. Methods: An explorative study lasting seven weeks was conducted. Patients were recruited who were assigned to the lowest two categories of the Manchester triage system and who were not hospitalized by a doctor or brought by ambulance to the ED. Questionnaires were handed out to the patient and were additionally filled out by the attending doctor. The data was analysed using the software package IBM SPSS Statistics 24. Results: 120 questionnaires were filled out by the patients and 94 were additionally completed by the attending doctor. 79 patients (68.7%) tried to contact an ambulatory institution before visiting the ED. Of these 26.6% said that they got a referral by the doctor and 20.2% stated that they were sent to the hospital without hospitalization. The following reasons were mentioned why patients did not contact ambulatory institutions beforehand: practice was closed (47.4%) and better medical treatment in the ED available (18.4%). 25.7% of the respondents stated that they are not familiar with the ambulatory emergency service. Conclusions: The results indicate that quite a lot of patients did seek help in the ambulatory sector before visiting the ED. This manifests needed improvement of distribution of patients by ambulatory institutions as well as an improved collaboration of all participants of ambulatory medical care as well as hospitals. On the other hand education of patients is needed regarding alternatives in case of no availability of the regular provider.
| Item Type: | Thesis (Thesis) |
|---|---|
| Supervisor name: | First faculty supervisor: and ter Horst Prof. Dr. G. (University of Groningen) |
| Supervisor name: | Second faculty and supervisor: Prof. Dr. M. Freitag (University of Oldenburg) and Institution: Department of Healthservices Research, Oldenbur and Medical Campus of the University of Oldenburg and Study was carried out by the Emergency Department of the PIU and Georgstr. 12, 26121 Oldenburg |
| Faculty: | Medical Sciences |
| Date Deposited: | 25 Jun 2020 11:05 |
| Last Modified: | 25 Jun 2020 11:05 |
| URI: | https://umcg.studenttheses.ub.rug.nl/id/eprint/2507 |
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