Why older patients of lower clinical urgency choose to attend the Emergency Department

This Australian study in the Internal Medical Journal examined non-clinical factors associated with Emergency Department (ED) attendance by lower urgency community-dwelling older patients. The research addressed feelings of social connectedness, perceived accessibility to primary care and reasons for attending EDs. Results indicated that most of the patients who presented to EDs did so due to perceived access block to primary or specialist services, and an expectation of more timely and specialised care. Considerations for developing new models of care to meet the specific needs of this age group are discussed.

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Lowthian, J. A., Smith, C., et al. (2012). Internal Medicine Journal, doi: 10.1111/j.1445-5994.2012.02842.x.