A survey of "heavy consumers" of emergency care services in Stockholm. Six per cent of the patients accounted for a quarter of emergency consultations
Hansagi, H.; Olsson, M.; Sjöberg, S.
Lakartidningen 95(47): 5320 5323-4
1998
ISSN/ISBN: 0023-7205 PMID: 9855732 Document Number: 489421
A small subgroup of patients accounts for a substantial proportion of emergency room (ER) consultations. Of the 479,956 consultations at ER facilities at Stockholm hospitals in 1996, a quarter were accounted for by six per cent of the patients, a subgroup characterised by at least four ER consultations during the year. Some 1,500 patients consulted 12-233 times. Analysis of the care-seeking habits of five extremely heavy ER-facility consumers showed them also to be heavy consumers of other health care services such as primary and tertiary facilities. Since previous studies have shown heavy ER-facility consumers to be a vulnerable subgroup both medically and socially, co-ordination and planning of their care might well be beneficial.