Table 1 Characteristics of 3,503 patients in two emergency departments
Patients with consultations (n= 1,215) | Patients without consultations (n= 2,288) | p value | Frequency of consultations (%) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Mean age (SD) | 53.8 (26.4) | 49.4 (28.6) | n.s | |
Male sex (%) | 628 (51.7) | 1,249 (54.6) | n.s | |
EMS arrival (%) | 1,045 (86.0) | 326 (14.2) | P < 0.001 | |
Initial diagnosis in the ED | ||||
Respiratory problems | 412 (33.9) | 691 (30.2) | 37.3 | |
Neurological problems | 83 (6.8) | 128 (5.6) | 39.3 | |
Gastrointestinal problems | 398 (32.8) | 680 (29.7) | 36.9 | |
Cardiovascular problems | 106 (8.7) | 46 (2.0) | 69.7 | |
Musculoskeletal problems | 22 (1.8) | 131 (5.7) | 14.3 | |
Psychiatric problems | 13 (1.1) | 149 (6.5) | 8 | |
Other medical problems | 24 (2.0) | 48 (2.1) | 33 | |
Cases in which emergency physicians can’t achieve diagnosis | 92 (7.6) | 222 (9.7) | 29.2 | |
Trauma | 65 (5.3) | 193 (8.4) | 25.1 |