Evaluation of features of patients attending the emergency department of Uludag University medicine faculty hospital and emergency department practices

Abstract

Objective: We aimed to evaluate the demographic and clinical features of patients who attended the emergency department of Uludag University Hospital, our emergency practices and the defi ciencies.Materials and Methods: All adults and trauma patients under 18 years were included in this prospective study. The evaluations were done with the study forms including patient data recorded by the doctors and nurses.Results: The mean age was 42.00 +/- 20.8 years, most (37,5%) comprised young adults (20-39). Only 10.1% of patient transfer to hospital was by ambulance. Most attendences were between 12: 00-16: 00 hours. 19.6% of the patients were categorized as Triage 1, signifying the very urgent group. were Evaluation by the physician of 76.4% of the patients was made in the fi rst 5 minutes of attendance. Consultations were required in 39.1% of the patients,, mostly from internal medicine, cardiology and orthopedics. Of the patients, 12.2% were hospitalized and 4.5% were referred to another hospital. Patients were most frequently admitted to internal medicine, plastic surgery and cardiology clinics. Besides radiography, radiologic investigations were needed in 12.6% of patients and Cranial Computed Tomography was the most frequently required. The average length of stay was 143.1 minutes for all patients, but this was 585.1 minutes for patients needing hospitalization.Conclusion: It was determined that the lengih of stay of patients admitted to the hospital is longer than expected. Although there are defi ciencies which must be ameliorated, it was concluded that the emergency department of Uludag University Hospital is adequate for a 3rd step emergency.