Repeated Emergency Medical Services Use by Older Adults: Analysis of a Comprehensive Statewide Database.

ABSTRACT:

Study objective

The objective of this study is to characterize repeated emergency medical services (EMS) transports among older adults across a large and socioeconomically diverse region.

Methods

Using the North Carolina Prehospital Medical Information System, we analyzed the frequency of repeated EMS transports within 30 days of an index EMS transport among adults aged 65 years and older from 2010 to 2015. We used multivariable logistic regressions to determine characteristics associated with repeated EMS transport.

Results

During the 6-year period, EMS performed 1,711,669 transports for 689,664 unique older adults in North Carolina. Of these, 303,099 transports (17.7%) were followed by another transport of the same patient within 30 days. The key characteristics ass

SUBMITTER: Evans CS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5614807 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature