[Pediatric emergency in Mahdia hospital]

ABSTRACT

To study the profile of the emergency users, the attitude of the doctors providing medical care and the degree of satisfaction of those users. Prospective study concerning the pediatric emergency users into a 3rd level hospital, during 3 different periods between 26/05/2002 and 25/09/2003. The medium age of the consultants was 3 years, the sex ratio was 1, 03. 58,3 per cent belonged to modest socio-economic level, 65,7 per cent of then hadn't a treating doctor for following, and 68,3 per cent of the childs were brought by the proper initiative of their parents. The expectation delay before the consultation was less then 15 minutes in 57,3 per cent of the cases. After consultation, this delay was less than one hour in 50,7 per cent of the cases and between 1 and 3 hours in 44,3 per cent of the cases. 14,7 per cent of the children were hospitalised. The emergency case was considered simple or just a felt-emergency in 50,7 percent of the cases, and it was a simple consultation in 28,1 per cent of the cases. 46 per cent of the parents were "satisfied" of services. The major part of consultations at the emergency services is not justified. We have to educate the parents about how important is to have a family doctor, to supervise emergency structures to improve the quality of the offered services