Table 1.
Comparison of Admission vs. Discharge from ED by Patient Demographics, Socioeconomic Factors, Measures of Illness, System Factors, and Appropriateness of Admission
| All Patients (n = 452) | Admitted from ED (n = 349) | Discharged from ED (n = 103) | P | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Patient Demographics | ||||
| Age, mean [95%CI] | 55.8 [54.3–57.3] | 56.6 [54.9–58.3] | 53.0 [49.7–56.2] | 0.046 |
| Female, n (%) | 166 (36.7) | 132 (37.8) | 34 (33.0) | 0.373 |
| Race/Ethnicity, n (%), 4 missing | ||||
| American Indian/Alaska Native | 22 (4.9) | 17 (4.9) | 5 (4.9) | 0.876 |
| Asian | 39 (8.7) | 31 (9.0) | 8 (7.8) | |
| Black/African-American | 122 (27.2) | 90 (26.0) | 32 (31.4) | |
| Hispanic/Latino | 36 (8.0) | 26 (7.5) | 10 (9.8) | |
| Hawaiian/Pacific Islander | 4 (0.9) | 3 (0.9) | 1 (1.0) | |
| White, non-Hispanic | 218 (48.7) | 174 (50.3) | 44 (43.1) | |
| Multiple | 7 (1.6) | 5 (1.4) | 2 (2.0) | |
| English Primary Language, n (%) | 371 (82.1) | 291 (83.4) | 80 (77.7) | 0.184 |
| Married, n (%) | 78 (17.3) | 56 (16.0) | 22 (21.4) | 0.210 |
| Socioeconomic Factors | ||||
| Insurance, n (%) | 0.058 | |||
| Public | 388 (85.8) | 307 (90.1) | 81 (78.6) | |
| Private | 21 (4.7) | 14 (4.0) | 7 (6.8) | |
| None | 43 (9.5) | 28 (8.0) | 15 (14.6) | |
| Employment, n (%), 23 missing | 0.397 | |||
| Employed | 26 (6.1) | 18 (5.3) | 8 (8.8) | |
| Unemployed | 161 (37.5) | 123 (36.4) | 38 (41.8) | |
| Disabled | 112 (26.1) | 91 (26.9) | 21 (23.1) | |
| Retired | 130 (30.3) | 106 (31.4) | 24 (26.4) | |
| Living Situation, n (%), 3 missing | 0.008 | |||
| Stable housing | 261 (58.1) | 190 (54.9) | 71 (69.0) | |
| Unstable housing/homeless | 148 (33.0) | 127 (36.7) | 21 (20.4) | |
| Institution (SNF/AFH/Jail) | 40 (8.9) | 29 (8.4) | 11 (10.7) | |
| Measures of Illness | ||||
| CCI, mean [95%CI] | 3.23 [2.98–3.49] | 3.31 [3.02–3.60] | 2.96 [2.40–3.52] | 0.265 |
| ESI, mean [95%CI] | 2.84 [2.79–2.89] | 2.87 [2.81–2.92] | 2.75 [2.64–2.85] | 0.041 |
| System-Level Factors | ||||
| “Off-hours” presentation, n (%) | 287 (63.5) | 232 (66.5) | 55 (53.4) | 0.015 |
| Healthcare Utilization | ||||
| ED visits in previous 30 days, n (%) | 0.652 | |||
| None | 265 (58.6) | 207 (59.3) | 58 (56.3) | |
| 1 visit | 103 (22.8) | 82 (23.5) | 21 (20.4) | |
| 2 visits | 46 (10.2) | 32 (9.2) | 14 (13.6) | |
| 3–5 visits | 32 (7.1) | 24 (6.9) | 8 (7.8) | |
| 6+ visits | 6 (1.3) | 4 (1.1) | 2 (2.0) | |
| Appropriateness Assessment, n (%) | < 0.0001 | |||
| Probably | 253 (56.0) | 246 (70.5) | 7 (6.8) | |
| Probably NOT | 158 (34.9) | 80 (22.9) | 78 (75.7) | |
| Definitely NOT | 41 (9.1) | 23 (6.6) | 18 (17.5) | |
CCI Charlson Comorbidity Index, ESI Emergency Severity Index, SNF Skilled Nursing Facility, AFH Adult Family Home