Reasons for Nonurgent Emergency Department Use by Elders

When systems designed only for true emergencies experience overuse for nonemergent conditions, the result is long wait times and overcrowding. These authors interviewed 115 Canadian elders (age, >65 years) who sought care for nonemergent conditions (defined as a Canadian Triage Acuity Score of 4 or 5) in one of three Saskatoon emergency departments (EDs).

The most common reasons for presentation were fall-related injuries, other acute injuries, and pain. Nearly one third of participants were referred by another provider, such as a general practitioner, and nearly one third arrived by ambulance. Qualitative interviews revealed these elders valued the convenient, comprehensive evaluation in a single setting (“one-stop shopping”) and the availa…