European journal of emergency medicine : official journal of the European Society for Emergency Medicine
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To determine the utility of the 4-item Abbreviated Mental Test (AMT4) for detecting cognitive impairment in accident and emergency patients aged 65 years or older. Cognitive function was assessed using the Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE), 4 and 10-point AMT and subjective judgment. ⋯ Cutoffs of 3 or less for AMT4 and 7 or less for AMT had sensitivities of 80% [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.75-0.85] and 76% (95% CI: 0.69-0.81), and specificities of 88% (95% CI: 0.84-0.91) and 93% (95% CI: 0.90-0.96), respectively, for detection of cognitive impairment; subjective judgement of admitting nurse had 50.5% (95% CI: 44-57%) sensitivity and 98.6% (95% CI: 0 96-1.00%) specificity. In conclusion, the AMT4 performs as well as the 10-point AMT in screening for cognitive impairment, and will assist in the early detection of cognitive problems.
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Discharge against medical advice (AMA) depends on both patient population and hospital-related factors. No previous study has examined AMA discharges in Iran. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of AMA discharges and the associated factors in Iranian emergency department-admitted patients. ⋯ The most common reason stated by the patients for AMA discharge was dissatisfaction with care or diagnostic and therapeutic procedures (38.2%). This study identifies marked differences in prevalence and potential predictors of AMA discharges in Iran compared with what has been described in the literature. The high prevalence of AMA discharges after emergency admission in a developing country such as Iran calls for effective approaches to reduce the prevalence as well as further investigation into the responsible factors.
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It has been suggested that inefficiency in the delivery of care in emergency departments (EDs) may contribute to their overcrowding. Specifically the duplication of work by the on take teams of the assessment already performed by the ED doctor has been identified as a possible contributor to prolonged waits for a hospital bed for those requiring admission. Anything that prolongs an individual patient's processing time will contribute to overcrowding. ⋯ The overwhelming reason for prolonged waits and overcrowding in Irish EDs is not the duplication of work inherent in the referral process but it is because of a lack of acute hospital capacity.
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Previous studies have identified that there is a cohort of frequent attenders to the emergency department (ED). Recent initiatives aim to provide care closer to home and alternatives to ED attendance. This study aims to identify what impact frequent attenders still have on the ED. ⋯ There remains a cohort of frequent attenders that use the ED for their healthcare needs. A significant proportion of these attendances are associated with alcohol use, chronic disease or mental health problems. Reduction of attendances may be achieved by case management strategies and improving access to primary care and drug and alcohol services.