Methods We performed a population-based study of ED visits for COPD using state-wide surveillance data from NC DETECT[4], including all ED visits made by NC residents aged ≥45 years in 2008-2009. Visits were considered COPD-related if the firstor second-listed discharge diagnoses contained one of the following ICD-9-CM codes: 491.*, 492.*, 493.2*, 494.*, or 496.*. Hospital admissions were captu...

BACKGROUND In the industrial world, non-specific back and neck pain (BNP) is the largest diagnostic group underlying sick-listing. For patients with subacute and chronic (= full-time sick-listed for 43 - 84 and 85 - 730 days, respectively) BNP, cognitive-behavioural rehabilitation was compared with primary care. The specific aim was to answer the question: within an 18-month follow-up, will the...

BACKGROUND Urgent care (UC) is one of the fastest growing venues of health care delivery. We compared clinical and cost attributes of pediatric UC and emergency department (ED) visits that did not result in admission. METHODS Our study examined 5 925 568 ED and UC visits of children under 19 years old in the 2010 through 2012 Marketscan Medicaid Multi-State Database. Basic demographics, diagn...

STUDY OBJECTIVE Reasons for recurrent emergency department (ED) visits have been examined primarily through administrative data review. Inclusion of patients' perspectives of reasons for ED return may help inform future initiatives aimed at reducing recurrent utilization. The objective of this study is to describe the personal experiences and challenges faced by patients transitioning home afte...

OBJECTIVES This study describes the proportion of emergency department (ED) returns within 7 days due to adverse events, defined as adverse outcomes related to healthcare received. DESIGN Prospective cohort study. SETTING We used an electronically triggered adverse event surveillance system at a tertiary care ED from May to June 2010 to examine ED returns within 7 days of index visit. PAR...