Van Tıp Dergisi (Oct 2023)
Recent Situation in Emergency Department Admissions of Convicted Patients, a Retrospective Multicenter Study
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study is to determine the clinical characteristics of convicted patients admitted to the emergency department and to compare the similar and different aspects of emergency services offered to convicted patients between secondary and tertiary hospitals. METHODS: This study was designed as a multicenter, retrospective cross-sectional. Convicted patients aged 18 and over who applied to the emergency departments of the hospitals mentioned in 2021-2022 were included in the study. The medical records of the cases were examined, and demographic characteristics, time of admission to the emergency department, emergency triage code, admission complaint, diagnosis, consultations, clinical outcomes, and any re-admissions to the emergency department within 24 hours were recorded. RESULTS: Of the cases, 1415 (81.2%) were treated in the secondary care hospital and 327 (18.8%) were treated in the tertiary hospital. The cases with green code (62.4%) in the secondary hospital, and the cases with yellow (64.2%) and red codes (26.6%) in the tertiary hospital were more common (p=0.001,p=0.001,p=0.001, respectively). The most common complaint in both hospitals was physical assault (19.7%-30%). Consultation requests, ward hospitalizations, intensive care unit admissions, and emergency surgeries were more frequent in the tertiary hospital compared to the secondary hospital (p=0.001 for all comparisons). DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: Trauma emerged as the primary reason for convicted patients seeking care at both hospitals, with a significant portion of cases being related to violent behaviors. Nonetheless, clinical differences exist between convicted patients admitted to secondary and tertiary hospitals, encompassing factors like emergency triage code, admission complaints, diagnoses, consultations, and patient outcomes.
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