Analysis of the patients’ with minor injuries attendance to the Emergency Department

Background. The lack of effective system solutions in the field of primary care, long waiting times for outpatient consultation in the framework of specialist care are the cause of those patient’s applications to ED who do not require the use of emergency procedures. The ability to quickly get to ED and unrestricted patient access to health care services financed from public funds increase the likelihood of reporting to ED by the patients in non-urgent cases.

Objectives. Analysis of the patient’s attendance with minor injuries to ED.

Material and methods. 155 patients of ED in Kędzierzyn-Koźle were examined by a diagnostic survey based on a copyright questionnaire.

Results. Patients with minor injuries are generally people aged 11–40 years (66.7%; 100) self-referred to ED (92.7%; 139), with injuries of the extremities (72.7%; 109) that arise from falling, tripping, slipping, impaction (78.7%;118) during three hours of the onset of injury (57.3%; 87) with moderate symptoms. Respondents believe that the minor injuries require diagnostic radiology (38.7%; 58) and specialist consultations (34%; 51) and ED is the most appropriate place for their treatment (45.3%; 68). If these patients do not attend PHC (85.3%; 128) it does not mean that the patient does not trust in the possibility of treatment by a family physician (OR = 1.46, 95% CI [0.52; 4.55]; p = 0.49).

Conclusions. It is important to educate patients about the role of ED in the health system, the possibility of dressing minor injuries in PHC, self-care in the field of minor injuries dressing and the harmful effects of excess X-rays on the human body.