analysis of the emergency services in a teaching hospital in a developing country

ABSTRACT

3000 patients attended the Accident and Emergency Department at the Jordan University Hospital in Amman, Jordan during the month of November, 1984. The male to female ratio of patients was 5743. The percentage of children was 24% [50% in the population in general]. We found that Saturday was the busiest day of the week and the hours between 8.00 a.m. to 12.00 a.m. generated most visits. Though the number of visits during the early morning hours [12.00 p.m. to 8.00 a.m.] were the least during the day, that period generated the largest visit admission relative ratio. Trauma and upper respiratory tract infections constituted the main reasons for seeking medical care [20.5% and 17.7% respectively.] 24.5% of all patients seen were admitted, and those admitted accounted for 42.5% of all hospital admissions during that period