Table 1.
Patient and Visit Characteristics for Older Veterans Discharged from the ED, N = 942
| Characteristic | n (%) |
|---|---|
| Patient Characteristics | |
| Age, mean, SD | 74.7 (6.2) |
| Age | |
| 65–69 | 229 (24.3) |
| 70–74 | 238 (25.3) |
| 75–79 | 256 (27.2) |
| ≥80 | 219 (23.3) |
| Male | 927 (98.4) |
| Current medications, mean (SD) | 6.1 (5.5) |
| Current medications | |
| 0 | 227 (24.1) |
| 1–4 | 173 (18.4) |
| 5–8 | 257 (27.3) |
| 9 or more | 285 (30.2) |
| Charlson comorbidity index | |
| 0 | 501 (53.2) |
| 1–2 | 340 (36.1) |
| 3 or greater | 101 (10.7) |
| ED visit within previous 6 months | |
| 0 | 639 (67.8) |
| 1 | 167 (17.7) |
| 2 | 72 (7.6) |
| ≥3 | 64 (6.8) |
| Hospitalization within previous 6 months | |
| 0 | 804 (85.4) |
| 1 | 103 (10.9) |
| 2 or more | 35 (3.7) |
| Index ED Visit Characteristics | |
| Day of visit | |
| Weekday | 819 (86.9) |
| Weekend | 123 (13.1) |
| Time of visit | |
| Day 7a–6p | 831 (88.2) |
| Evening/night 6:01p–6:59a | 111 (11.8) |
| Triage location | |
| Emergency Unit | 273 (29.0) |
| Urgent Care Clinic | 669 (71.0) |
| Discharge diagnosis category* | |
| Ill-defined signs or symptoms | 160 (19.4) |
| Musculoskeletal conditions | 131 (15.9) |
| Circulatory system conditions | 99 (12.0) |
| Respiratory conditions | 79 (9.6) |
| Endocrine/metabolic disorders | 58 (7.0) |
| Prescribed a new medication at ED discharge | 421 (44.6) |
*Grouped by ICD-9 codes. Data shown for 5 most common categories.