Injury hospitalization as a marker for emergency medical services use in elderly patients.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The elderly utilize emergency medical services (EMS) at a higher rate than younger patients, yet little is known about the influence of injury on subsequent EMS utilization and costs.

Objective

To assess injury hospitalization as a potential marker for subsequent EMS utilization and costs by Medicare patients.

Methods

This observational study analyzed a retrospective cohort of all Medicare patients (> or = 67 years old) with an International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision (ICD-9) injury diagnosis admitted to 125 Oregon and Washington hospitals during 2001 and 2002 who survived to hospital discharge. The numbers of EMS transports and the total EMS costs were compared one year before and one year following the index hospitalization.

Results

SUBMITTER: Fleischman RJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2992380 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Oct-Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature