일개 소아전용응급센터에서 환자 방문 일시에 따른 이용 행태의 특징
Journal of The Korean Society of Emergency Medicine 2016;27(2): 182-188.
송원모1, 노현2,3, 안기옥3, 정시영1, 서주현1
1명지병원 응급의학교실
2인제대학교 서울백병원 응급의학교실
3서울대학교병원 의생명연구원 응급의료연구소
Wonmo Song1, Hyun Noh2,3, Ki Ok Ahn3, Si Young Jeong1, Joohyun Suh1
1Department of Emergency Medicine, Myongji Hospital, Gyeonggi-do, Korea
2Inje University College of Medicine, Inje University Seoul Paik Hospital, Korea
3Laboratory of Emergency Medical Service, Bio-medical Research Institute, Seoul National University Hospital, Korea
Correspondence Joohyun Suh ,Tel: 031) 810-5114, Fax: 031) 810-0500, Email: joohyun.suh@mjh.or.kr,
Received: April 27, 2015; Revised: April 28, 2015 Accepted: July 28, 2015. Published online: April 30, 2016.
Many patients who may be treated in primary care clinics resort to emergency centers during the off hours of such clinics. This may cause overcrowding of emergency centers and increased medical expenses. The aim of this study is to consider the optimal management of medical facilities for pediatric patients at night or on holidays.
The medical records of patients under the age of 16 years who had visited a pediatric emergency medical center during a two-year period between January 2012 and December 2013 were reviewed retrospectively. We examined how factors including the age group, disease/injury distinction, tentative diagnosis, use of the emergency medical service ambulances, and the final disposition of the patients varied depending on the availability of medical facilities.
Among the 32,951 pediatric patients, approximately half visited the center on holidays (51.6%), and a quarter were injury patients (26.4%). Fever (38.8%) and head injury (16.1%) were the most frequent tentative diagnosis in diseases and injuries, respectively. More visits of infants and toddlers and disease patients occurred on days and hours of low medical service availability, and there were relatively few injury patients in the late night hours.
These findings suggest that closing pediatric clinics around midnight is reasonable. More facilities operating at night and on holidays for pediatric patients are needed.
Key words: Emergencies, Pediatrics, Epidemiology
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