Jurnal Internasional Afrika vol. 11 issue 2 2021
African Journal of Emergency Medicine
Characteristics and outcomes of patients with an unscheduled return visit within 72 hours to the Paediatric Emergency Centre at a Private Tertiary Referral Hospital in Kenya
Dublin Core
Title
Jurnal Internasional Afrika vol. 11 issue 2 2021
African Journal of Emergency Medicine
Characteristics and outcomes of patients with an unscheduled return visit within 72 hours to the Paediatric Emergency Centre at a Private Tertiary Referral Hospital in Kenya
African Journal of Emergency Medicine
Characteristics and outcomes of patients with an unscheduled return visit within 72 hours to the Paediatric Emergency Centre at a Private Tertiary Referral Hospital in Kenya
Subject
Kenya
Unscheduled
Revisits
Emergency department
72 hours
Unscheduled
Revisits
Emergency department
72 hours
Description
Introduction: Patients’ unscheduled return visits (URVs) to the paediatric emergency Centre (PEC) contribute to
overcrowding and affect health service delivery and overall quality of care. This study assessed the characteristics
and outcomes of paediatric patients with URVs (within 72 hours) to the PEC at a private tertiary hospital in
Kenya.
Methods: We conducted a retrospective chart review of all URVs within 72 hours among paediatric patients aged
≤15 years between 1 July and 31 December 2018 at the tertiary hospital in Nairobi, Kenya.
Results: During the study period, 1.6% (n=172) of patients who visited the PEC returned within 72 hours, with
4.7% revisiting the PEC more than once. Patients’ median age was 36 months (interquartile range: 42 months);
over half were male (51.7%), 55.8% were ambulatory and 84.3% were insured. In addition, 21% (n=36) had
chronic diseases and 7% (n=12) had drug allergies. Respiratory (59.5%) and gastrointestinal (21.5%) tract infections
were the most common diagnoses. Compared with the first visit, more patients with URVs were classified
as urgent (1.7% vs. 5.2%) and were non-ambulatory (44.2% vs. 49.5%, p=<0.001); 18% of these patients were
admitted. Of these 58% were male, 83.9% were aged 0–5 years, 12.9% were classified as urgent, 64.5% had
respiratory tract infections and 16.1% had gastrointestinal tract infections. Being admitted was associated with
patient acuity (p=0.004), laboratory tests (p=<0.001) and ambulatory status (p=0.041).
Conclusion: The URV rate is low in our setting. Patients who returned to the PEC within 72 hours tended to be
male, under 5 years old and insured. Many were non-urgent cases with diagnoses of respiratory and gastrointestinal
tract infections. The findings suggest that some URVs were necessary and may have contributed to better
care and improved outcomes while others highlight a need for effective patient education and comprehensive
initial assessment.
overcrowding and affect health service delivery and overall quality of care. This study assessed the characteristics
and outcomes of paediatric patients with URVs (within 72 hours) to the PEC at a private tertiary hospital in
Kenya.
Methods: We conducted a retrospective chart review of all URVs within 72 hours among paediatric patients aged
≤15 years between 1 July and 31 December 2018 at the tertiary hospital in Nairobi, Kenya.
Results: During the study period, 1.6% (n=172) of patients who visited the PEC returned within 72 hours, with
4.7% revisiting the PEC more than once. Patients’ median age was 36 months (interquartile range: 42 months);
over half were male (51.7%), 55.8% were ambulatory and 84.3% were insured. In addition, 21% (n=36) had
chronic diseases and 7% (n=12) had drug allergies. Respiratory (59.5%) and gastrointestinal (21.5%) tract infections
were the most common diagnoses. Compared with the first visit, more patients with URVs were classified
as urgent (1.7% vs. 5.2%) and were non-ambulatory (44.2% vs. 49.5%, p=<0.001); 18% of these patients were
admitted. Of these 58% were male, 83.9% were aged 0–5 years, 12.9% were classified as urgent, 64.5% had
respiratory tract infections and 16.1% had gastrointestinal tract infections. Being admitted was associated with
patient acuity (p=0.004), laboratory tests (p=<0.001) and ambulatory status (p=0.041).
Conclusion: The URV rate is low in our setting. Patients who returned to the PEC within 72 hours tended to be
male, under 5 years old and insured. Many were non-urgent cases with diagnoses of respiratory and gastrointestinal
tract infections. The findings suggest that some URVs were necessary and may have contributed to better
care and improved outcomes while others highlight a need for effective patient education and comprehensive
initial assessment.
Creator
Kenneth M. Rintaari , Rachel Wangari Kimani , Horatius Malilu Musembi ,
Samwel Maina Gatimu
Samwel Maina Gatimu
Source
www.elsevier.com/locate/afjem
Publisher
ELSEVIER
Date
7 March 2021
Contributor
PERI IRAWAN
Format
PDF
Language
ENGLISH
Type
TEXT
Files
Citation
Kenneth M. Rintaari , Rachel Wangari Kimani , Horatius Malilu Musembi ,
Samwel Maina Gatimu, “Jurnal Internasional Afrika vol. 11 issue 2 2021
African Journal of Emergency Medicine
Characteristics and outcomes of patients with an unscheduled return visit within 72 hours to the Paediatric Emergency Centre at a Private Tertiary Referral Hospital in Kenya,” Repository Horizon University Indonesia, accessed November 21, 2024, https://repository.horizon.ac.id/items/show/2622.
African Journal of Emergency Medicine
Characteristics and outcomes of patients with an unscheduled return visit within 72 hours to the Paediatric Emergency Centre at a Private Tertiary Referral Hospital in Kenya,” Repository Horizon University Indonesia, accessed November 21, 2024, https://repository.horizon.ac.id/items/show/2622.