Table 2.
Veteran’s affairs (VA) population versus general emergency department (ED) population.
| VA | General ED | P-value | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Percentage | |||
| % Admitted | 36% | 13% | <0.01 |
| Presenting Diagnosis | |||
| Psychiatric (inc. substance abuse) | 10% | 4% | 0.012 |
| Heart disease (excl. ischemia) | 9% | 1% | 0.002 |
| Respiratory (URI, asthma, COPD) | 7% | 7% | 0.895 |
| Chest pain | 7% | 4% | 0.148 |
| Trauma | 3% | 15% | <0.01 |
| Cellulitis/abscess | 3% | 2% | 0.534 |
| Spinal disorders | 2% | 3% | 0.643 |
| Abdominal pain | 2% | 4% | 0.264 |
| Musculoskeletal | 2% | 6% | <0.01 |
| Shortness of breath | 2% | 3% | 0.6 |
| Severityϕ. | |||
| Non-urgent (self-limited/minor) | 17% | 14% | 0.989 |
| Semi-urgent (low) | 18% | 21% | <0.01 |
| Urgent (moderate) | 45% | 33% | <0.01 |
| Emergent (high) | 18% | 10% | <0.01 |
| Immediate (highest) | 2% | 6% | <0.01 |
| Admission Level | |||
| General medicine/surgery floor | 43% | 69% | |
| Telemetry | 26% | <15%* | |
| Intensive care unit | 8% | 16% | |
| Psychiatry | 23% | <15%* | |
| Length of Stay | |||
| Mean ED time | 3.1 hours | 3.3 hours | 0.05 |
ψ
Based on CDC National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey: 2006 Emergency Department Summary.
ϕ.
In the NHAMC Survey, 17% were labeled as “unknown triage.” To equalize data, this portion was removed.
*
No specific ED data were provided for telemetry or psychiatry admissions. However, given that general medicine/surgery and intensive care unit admission comprise 85% of the total, telemetry and psychiatry admission together cannot make up more than 15% of admissions.
URI, upper respiratory infection; COPD, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease