Emergency department visits following discharge: Implications for healthcare management

KAYA, SIDIKA/0000-0002-1495-9373; Teles, Mesut/0000-0002-3255-0096WOS:000546936000001Objective: This study aimed to reveal the frequency of emergency department (ED) visits within 7 and 30 days after discharge and to identify the factors affecting these ED visits. Methods: A total of 1570 patients discharged from the internal medicine wards of a university hospital in Turkey within 1 year were included in this prospective cohort study. Multiple logistic regression analyses were used to identify the factors affecting ED visits. Results: Of the patients, 1.3% visited the ED within the first 7 days after discharge and 5.2% within 30 days. Multivariable analyses showed that the probability of an ED visit within 30 days was 1.83 (95% CI 1.09-3.08; p = 0.023) times higher for male patients and 2.15 (95% CI 1.00-4.60; p = 0.049) times higher for patients with intensive care unit (ICU) stay before discharge. The probability of an ED visit increased by 1.25 (95% CI 1.11-1.42, p < 0.001) times for every 1-point increase in the comorbidity score. The costs of ED visits within 0-7 days were lower than the costs within 8-30 days (p = 0.001). Conclusion: Innovative approaches targeting discharge planning and postdischarge care for patients with high comorbidity scores and ICU use during index hospitalization could reduce ED visits within 30 days after discharge.Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (Turkiye Bilimsel ve Teknolojik Arastirma Kurumu [TUBITAK])Turkiye Bilimsel ve Teknolojik Arastirma Kurumu (TUBITAK) [114K404]; TUBITAKTurkiye Bilimsel ve Teknolojik Arastirma Kurumu (TUBITAK)The data (except ED visits data) used in this study were obtained from research project no. 114K404 supported by the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (Turkiye Bilimsel ve Teknolojik Arastirma Kurumu [TUBITAK]). The authors thank TUBITAK for providing financial support