The burden of inappropriate emergency department pediatric visits: why Italy needs an urgent reform.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

To better understand the issue of inappropriate pediatric Emergency Department (ED) visits in Italy, including the impact of the last National Health System reform.

Study design

A retrospective cohort study was conducted with five health care providers in the Veneto region (Italy) in a 2-year period (2010-2011). ED visits were considered "inappropriate" by evaluating both nursing triage and resource utilization, as addressed by the Italian Ministry of Health in 2007. Factors associated with inappropriate ED visits were identified. The cost of each visit was calculated.

Principal findings

In total, 134,358 ED visits with 455,650 performed procedures were recorded in the 2-year period; of these, 76,680 (57.1 percent) were considered inappropriate ED visits. Pa

SUBMITTER: Vedovetto A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4239850 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature