Patient and physician perspectives on ambulance utilization.
Publication/Presentation Date
1-1-2008
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: The objective of the current study was to define the clinical and demographic characteristics of ED patients who used ambulance transport (USERS) compared to contemporaneous non-ambulance users (NON) and to determine the reasons users gave for their choice to use ambulance transport.
METHODS: A single researcher queried a convenience sample of consenting ED patients regarding reasons for choice of transport to the ED, knowledge of ambulance cost, and self-estimation of illness or injury severity on a (1 most severe, 5 least severe) five-point Likert scale. We also asked if the treating physician agreed with transport choice.
RESULTS: Of 311 participants (97% response rate), USERS (N=71, 22.8%) were older than NON (53 vs. 35, p
CONCLUSIONS: Ambulance users were more likely to be more sick as determined by commonly used measures than nonusers. ED physicians almost always agreed with nonuse of ambulance transport and two-thirds of the time agreed that a patient's decision to use ambulance transport was appropriate.
Volume
12
Issue
2
First Page
176
Last Page
181
ISSN
1090-3127
Published In/Presented At
Jacob, S. L., Jacoby, J., Heller, M., & Stoltzfus, J. (2008). Patient and physician perspectives on ambulance utilization. Prehospital emergency care, 12(2), 176–181. https://doi.org/10.1080/10903120701710058
Disciplines
Medicine and Health Sciences
PubMedID
18379913
Department(s)
Department of Emergency Medicine
Document Type
Article