Table 1.

Comparison of patients who returned to the ED vs those who did not return within 3 mo of the first ED visit: Percentages may not add to 100% owing to rounding.

FACTORRETURNED (N=562)DID NOT RETURN (N=1436)
Patient characteristics
Age ≥85 y,* %31.134.7
Female sex,* %58.562.4
Living arrangement, %

  • Lives alone

35.233.8

  • Lives with adults

45.446.8

  • Lives in residence

19.419.4
Health status,* %

  • Excellent or very good

11.613.5

  • Good

47.351.4

  • Bad or could be better

41.135.1
Charlson comorbidity score,* %

  • 0

18.329.7

  • 1

18.224.2

  • 2

20.320.5

  • ≥3

43.225.7
ISAR score <2,* %91.888.9
Barthel index score,* %

  • ≤80

20.616.4

  • 80-90

24.623.1

  • ≥90

54.860.5
Mean (SD) no. of medications*9.2 (4.2)8.2 (4.1)
Had ED visits within past 6 mo,* %53.927.7
Had previous admission within past 6 mo,* %22.410.0
Access to primary care resources
Receiving local community services,* %20.313.0
Receiving local community nurse visits,* %36.727.0
Receiving local community medical services,* %28.821.8
Followed by family physician,* %90.091.1
Followed by specialists,* %85.879.8
Contacted health care provider before ED visit, %31.033.2
Contacted family doctor before ED visit,* %14.616.8
Had difficulty seeing family physician within 2 d for an urgent medical problem, %52.851.0
Had difficulty getting an appointment for a new problem,* %38.835.4
Had difficulty speaking with family physician by telephone, %41.640.9
Index visit
Ambulance arrival to ED, %53.756.0
Triage code (1=highest acuity, 5=lowest acuity),* %

  • Level 1

0.70.8

  • Level 2

25.322.1

  • Level 3

50.452.9

  • Level 4

22.422.0

  • Level 5

1.32.3
Diagnosis,* %

  • Chest pain

6.67.4

  • Pneumonia

5.04.1

  • Congestive heart failure

4.32.7

  • General weakness

2.92.7

  • Other

81.383.2
Admitted at the index visit,* %44.546.9
Referred to primary care after discharge, %20.318.6
Referred to outpatient clinic after discharge, %65.162.9
Index visit occurred on weekend, %19.418.4
Index visit shifts

  • Day shift

60.057.5

  • Evening shift

27.229.5

  • Night shift

12.813.0
Mean (SD) length of stay in ED,* h35.1 (23.9)32.4 (22.9)
Mean (SD) length of stay in hospital ward, d3.3 (6.8)3.0 (6.5)

  • ED—emergency department, ISAR—Identification of Seniors at Risk.

  • ↵* Significantly related to return visit (binary or count) at P<.1.