Analysis of The Elder Patients Admitted to Emergency Departments by Ambulances

Abstract

Objective: The volume of the elderly patients presenting to emergency departments has been increasing. Most of these attendances are made by ambulance. In this study, it is aimed to analyze the data of the elderly patients who were admitted to emergency department by ambulance.
Material and Method: In this descriptive and retrospective study, collected data of elderly patients presenting to emergency department encompasses patient report forms of ambulance, charts, data belongs to patient in the hospital data system. These data were compared to data of elderly patients admitted by themselves including length of stay, discharge status and rate of hospitalization.
Results: In one-year period, the number of patients admitted to the emergency department is 93609. 17812 (19.02 %) of these patients were over the age of 65. 994 (5.58 %) of these elderly patients admitted to the emergency department by ambulance. Elderly patients admitted by ambulance accounts for 37.45 % of all ambulance attendances. 27.26 % (271) of the patients admitted by ambulance were hospitalized. In addition, time of stay of the elderly patients admitted by ambulance was statistically significant when compared with patients admitted by themselves (p= <0,001).
Conclusion: Number of elderly patients admitted by ambulance was statistically significant when compared with patients admitted themselves. Length of stay of the patients admitted to emergency department by ambulance is shorter but they have higher rates of hospitalization. Shortness of breath is the most common complaint in both elderly patients admitted by ambulance and by themselves.