مرکز منطقه ای اطلاع رساني علوم و فناوري - Urgent problem of emergency departments: Inapproprıate use

Abstract :

Emergency depertments have a vital role in the conduct of emergency health services. Inappropriate use of emergency departments is considered as a widespread problem throughout the world that prevents the fulfillment of this role. A defination that related to concept of “Inappropriate use” adopted by the world of science completely isn’t determined. In the studies conducted on the subject, different identifier criterias have been used and it has been found that emergency departments is used for inappropriate attendances with varying rates. However, the general approach accepted in scientific ground is that admission to the emergency departments made by non emergency patients to receive healthcare services is “inappropriate use of emergency departments”. Inappropriate use makes difficult to maintain multi-dimensional services of emergency departments and causes to rise the cost of the healthcare services. Problems related to the accessibility of primary healthcare services, characteristics related to the services offered in the emergency department and to the health problems that patients have are ranked among the main factors that lead to inappropriate use. This review offers information about condition, causes and consequences of inappropriate use of the emergency departments.