ABSTRACT
@#BACKGROUND: Older individuals are more likely to utilize emergency care services than younger individuals due to the complexity of their condition. The increase in the demand for health services may lead to ER congestion, which may affect the quality of care being rendered. To the best of our knowledge, studies investigating the common medical causes of ER visits among older individuals have not been done in the Philippines. OBJECTIVES: The study aimed to determine the characteristics of emergency room visits by older individuals in a tertiary government hospital in Nueva Ecija. METHODS: The study is a single-center, retrospective study conducted in a tertiary government hospital in Nueva Ecija. A total of 270 ER records of Internal Medicine patients aged 60 years old and above seen from June 2019 to September 2019 were included. Patients who absconded or were dead on arrival were excluded. Descriptive statistics were used for the demographic variables and the characteristics of the ER visits. RESULTS AND ANALYSIS: The mean age of older individuals included was 69.72 ± 7.62. The average length of stay in the ER was 3.74 ± 2.34 Hours. Majority of visits occurred during the PM shift and were urgent cases. Majority of the patients seen were self-referral and were discharged. Patients commonly presented with difficulty of breathing. Diseases of the respiratory and circulatory system predominated. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and pneumonia were the leading causes of ER visits. CONCLUSION: Diseases of the respiratory and cardiovascular systems remain to be the leading causes of ER visits among older individuals. COPD and pneumonia were the most common diagnoses identified. Factors associated with the increase in frequency of these preventable and treatable diseases should be investigated. Older individuals often seek consultation in the ER rather than a primary health care provider. Some of the cases can be managed on an ambulatory care basis.