Reasons and motivations for ED visits
| Appropriateuse score method | PossibleGP use method | Resourceutilisation method | Total | |||||||
| Inappropriate ED use | Appropriate ED use | P value | Inappropriate ED use | Appropriate ED use | P value | Inappropriate ED use | Appropriate ED use | P value | ||
| Because the patient was a victim of an accident | 1575 (22.70) | 7016 (31.23) | < 0.0001 | 2149 (26.69) | 6442 (30.17) | < 0.0001 | 858 (21.62) | 7733 (30.40 | < 0.0001 | 8591 (29.21) |
| On doctor’s advice | 1476 (21.27) | 6551 (29.16) | < 0.0001 | 1472 (18.28) | 6555 (30.70) | < 0.0001 | 672 (16.94) | 7355 (28.91) | < 0.0001 | 8027 (27.30) |
| Because the patient needed the problem to be fixed quickly | 2069 (29.82) | 5850 (26.04) | < 0.0001 | 2609 (32.40) | 5310 (24.87) | < 0.0001 | 1262 (31.80) | 6657 (26.17) | < 0.0001 | 7919 (26.93) |
| Because patient could have blood tests or radiology imaging | 1528 (22.02) | 4803 (21.38) | 0.2514 | 1818 (22.58) | 4513 (21.13) | 0.0072 | 658 (16.58) | 5673 (22.30) | < 0.0001 | 6331 (21.53) |
| Because of ED proximity | 1580 (22.77) | 4685 (20.85) | 0.0006 | 2042 (25.36) | 4223 (19.78) | < 0.0001 | 978 (24.65) | 5287 (20.78) | < 0.0001 | 6265 (21.30) |
| Because the patient thought the problem was serious | 1465 (21.12) | 4328 (19.26) | 0.0007 | 1888 (23.45) | 3905 (18.29) | < 0.0001 | 806 (20.31) | 4987 (19.60) | 0.2965 | 5793 (19.70) |
| Because firefighters or emergency responders bring the patient to ED | 500 (7.21) | 3544 (15.77) | < 0.0001 | 624 (7.75) | 3420 (16.01) | < 0.0001 | 259 (6.53) | 3785 (14.88) | < 0.0001 | 4044 (13.75) |
| Because it was possible to see a specialist physician | 788 (11.36) | 2355 (10.48) | 0.0388 | 769 (9.55) | 2374 (11.12) | 0.0001 | 421 (10.61) | 2722 (10.70) | 0.8641 | 3143 (10.69) |
| Because the patient was anxious and did not know where to consult | 912 (13.14) | 1656 (7.37) | < 0.0001 | 1066 (13.24) | 1502 (7.03) | < 0.0001 | 532 (13.41) | 2036 (8.00) | < 0.0001 | 2568 (8.73) |
| Because the patient thought it was faster to wait in the ED than obtain an appointment | 793 (11.43) | 1294 (5.76) | < 0.0001 | 923 (11.46) | 1164 (5.45) | < 0.0001 | 420 (10.58) | 1667 (6.55) | < 0.0001 | 2087 (7.10) |
| Because the patient thought he would be hospitalised | 225 (3.24) | 1234 (5.49) | < 0.0001 | 254 (3.15) | 1205 (5.64) | < 0.0001 | 94 (2.37) | 1365 (5.37) | < 0.0001 | 1459 (4.96) |
| Because the GP was not available | 466 (6.72) | 963 (4.29) | < 0.0001 | 643 (7.99) | 786 (3.68) | < 0.0001 | 277 (6.98) | 1152 (4.53) | < 0.0001 | 1429 (4.86) |
| Because the patient had already consulted but the problem was not better | 451 (6.50) | 931 (4.14) | < 0.0001 | 470 (5.84) | 912 (4.27) | < 0.0001 | 245 (6.17) | 1137 (4.47) | < 0.0001 | 1382 (4.70) |
| Because the patient needed biological or radiological examinations and could not have an appointment | 405 (5.84) | 905 (4.03) | < 0.0001 | 478 (5.94) | 832 (3.90) | < 0.0001 | 242 (6.10) | 1068 (4.20) | < 0.0001 | 1310 (4.45) |
| Because the patient tried self-care but it did not work | 453 (6.53) | 798 (3.55) | < 0.0001 | 564 (7.00) | 687 (3.22) | < 0.0001 | 264 (6.65) | 987 (3.88) | < 0.0001 | 1251 (4.25) |
| Because it is possible to be seen by a doctor beyond the working hours | 222 (3.20) | 441 (1.96) | < 0.0001 | 267 (3.32) | 396 (1.85) | < 0.0001 | 138 (3.48) | 525 (2.06) | < 0.0001 | 663 (2.25) |
| Because there was no GP available | 242 (3.49) | 385 (1.71) | < 0.0001 | 308 (3.83) | 319 (1.49) | < 0.0001 | 158 (3.98) | 469 (1.84) | < 0.0001 | 627 (2.13) |
| Because the patient did not have to pay for care | 256 (3.69) | 339 (1.51) | < 0.0001 | 275 (3.42) | 320 (1.50) | < 0.0001 | 145 (3.65) | 450 (1.77) | < 0.0001 | 595 (2.02) |
| Because there was no GP doing home visits | 82 (1.18) | 247 (1.10) | 0.5674 | 120 (1.49) | 209 (0.98) | 0.0002 | 46 (1.16) | 283 (1.11) | 0.7943 | 329 (1.12) |
| Because the patient could not stay at home | 14 (0.20) | 58 (0.26) | 0.4065 | 13 (0.16) | 59 (0.28) | 0.0756 | 5 (0.13) | 67 (0.26) | 0.1034 | 72 (0.24) |
ED, emergency department; GP, general practitioner.