Acute pancreatitis is common, and is sometimes associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Early diagnosis and assessment of the severity of the condition are important when decisions must be made on appropriate early-stage treatment and/or patient transfer to medical facilities familiar with the condition. Initial intensive management of acute pancreatitis is important to minimize complications and mortality. In the present review, we discuss initial diagnosis of the condition, severity assessment, and the adequacy of early treatments, with reference to recently updated Korean guidelines.
Diagnosis* ; Early Diagnosis ; Mortality ; Pancreatitis* ; Patient Transfer

The Ministry of Health and Welfare of Korea recently designated cerebrovascularspecified centers (CSCs) to improve the regional stroke care system for acute ischemic stroke (AIS) patients. This study was performed to evaluate the changes in the flow of AIS patients between hospitals and to describe the role of the Emergency Medical Information Center (EMIC) after the designation of the CSCs. Data for coordination of interhospital transfers by the EMIC were reviewed for 6 months before and after designation of the CSCs. The data included the success or failure rate, the time used for coordination of interhospital transfer, and the changes in the interhospital transfer pattern between transfer-requesting and transfer-accepting hospitals. The total number of requests for interhospital transfer increased from 198 to 244 after designation of the CSCs. The median time used for coordination decreased from 8.0 minutes to 4.0 minutes (p<0.001). The success rate of coordination increased from 88.9% to 96.7% (p<0.001). The proportion of requests by CSCs decreased from 3.5% to 0.4% (p=0.017). However, the proportion of acceptance by non-CSC hospitals increased from 15.9% to 25.8% (p=0.015). With the designation of CSCs, the EMIC could coordinate interhospital transfers more quickly. However, AIS patients are more dispersed to CSC and non-CSC hospitals, which might be because the CSCs still do not have sufficient resources to cover the increasing volume of AIS patients and non-CSC hospitals have changed their policies. Further studies based on patients' outcome are needed to determine the adequate type of interhospital transfer for AIS patients.
Emergencies ; Emergency Treatment ; Humans ; Information Centers ; Korea ; Patient Transfer ; Stroke

Background: Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as hypertension and diabetes mellitus, which are mainly primary care conditions, are ideally managed in local health centers (LHCs). However, majority of patients with NCDs utilize tertiary hospitals. Objectives: To determine factors associated with willingness of patients with NCDs consulting at the UP-PGH Family Medicine Clinic (FMC), a hospital-based primary care clinic, to transfer medical care to local health centers. Methods: A cross-sectional study using a 5-part, interview-assisted questionnaire was conducted among 380 patients with hypertension and/or diabetes mellitus. Data were analyzed using SPSS and STATA. Results: Respondents had a low degree of willingness to transfer medical care to health centers at 32% (SD ± 21). Significant predictors include being married, presence of hypertension, PhilHealth coverage, satisfaction with waiting time and perception of appropriate service delivery at FMC. Conclusion Patients with NCDs consulting at FMC had low willingness to transfer to local health centers. Moreover, there was low utilization of local health centers despite awareness of presence of LHCs in the community. Almost all viewed that NCDs are best managed in a hospital-based outpatient clinic rather than the health center, consistent with perceptions of higher quality of service delivery and higher service satisfaction in the FMC. Sociodemographic, economic and health system factors were identified to affect willingness to transfer.
Primary Health Care ; Patient Transfer ; Health Facilities ; Patient Preference ; Noncommunicable Diseases

PURPOSE: To investigate the factors associated with discharge of children from the emergency department (ED) after interfacility transfer. METHODS: We reviewed consecutive children who visited the ED via interfacility transfer from January 2014 to December 2015. The children were divided into two groups according to whether they were discharged from the ED or not (the discharge and admission groups), and their characteristics were compared. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed to identify the factors associated with discharge of children from the ED after interfacility transfer. RESULTS: Of the 999 transferred children, 426 (42.6%) were discharged. Compared to the admission group, these children showed older age, more frequent transfers from clinics and arrivals between 16 h and 20 h, shorter stay in the ED, and less frequent surgical abdomen. We found that age (3 to 6 years; adjusted odds ratio [OR], 1.8; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.3–2.6, compared with 0 to 2 years), diagnosis (trauma; OR, 2.4; 95% CI, 1.5–4.0, compared with gastrointestinal diseases), and referring hospital (primary clinic; OR, 5.4; 95% CI, 3.1–9.4, compared with tertiary hospitals) were the factors. CONCLUSIONS: The children who aged 3 to 6 years, had trauma or underwent transfers from primary clinics were more likely to be discharged at the ED. Considering these factors, we should reduce unnecessary transfers.
Abdomen ; Child* ; Diagnosis ; Emergencies* ; Emergency Service, Hospital* ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Odds Ratio ; Patient Discharge ; Patient Transfer ; Pediatrics

PURPOSE: The telemedicine systems for both timely decision of patient transfer and accurate direction of patient treatment through remote consultation are required for better patient care in emergency situation. In this paper, we present noble design methods to implement the emergency telemedicine system suitable for emergency consultation. METHODS: The prototype system designed can encompass multimedia components including radiological images, medical record, biological signals, video conferencing and full-quality video, as well as can transmit changing data in real-time. In the first stage, experimental tests at the local networks analyzed the technical aspects of designed systems, and optimize the parameters subjectively to run them with affordable error. In the Second stage, two medical emergency cases were examined between two hospitals, the first was advanced airway management, and second was the management a patient with cardiac problem. RESULTS: Experimental tests at the local networks, all multimedia components can be represented to both terminals without any problems. Two cases of clinical experiment have performed to demonstrate the clinical usefullness. Orotracheal Intubation was done successfully by local hospital physician who was directed by specialist at distant hospital. The second case, a patient with cardiac problem was good managed by specialist via this telemedicine system without any problems. CONCLUSION: Inter-hospital experiments demonstrate the feasibility to be effectively used at emergency department.
Airway Management ; Emergencies* ; Emergency Service, Hospital ; Humans ; Intubation ; Medical Records ; Multimedia* ; Patient Care ; Patient Transfer ; Remote Consultation ; Specialization ; Telemedicine*

PURPOSE: This study is designed to evaluate the current situation of interhospital transports of critical ill patients requiring emergency care. METHODS: Using a clinical prospective 162 interhospital transports of ill patients by ambulance were evaluated in 2 hospitals. Patients were divided into severe & mild to moderate group by modified-ESI. We evaluated the state of patients, vital sign, monitoring of patient's state, hospitalization or transportation. Data were collected by mean of comprehensive form filled by a physician at the receiving hospital. RESULTS: The receiving hospital were notified prior to the transport in 57.4%. Pretransport information about the patients were adequate in 75% and no data in 9.9%. In 10.4% of the transports, the patients arrived at the receiving hospital in an agonized state. In 80.8% of the transports admitted and 7.4% of the patients were transfer to the other hospital. CONCLUSION: It appears that there are no established guidelines for the emergency transport of critical ill patients in Korea.
Ambulances ; Emergencies ; Emergency Medical Services ; Felodipine ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Korea ; Patient Transfer ; Prospective Studies ; Transportation ; Vital Signs

PURPOSE: Inter-hospital transport poses a number of challenging issues, including prolonging the time interval from symptoms to optimal reperfusion therapy after ischemic stroke. It is unclear whether urbanization is associated with outcomes of inter-hospital transfer including length of stay at the referring hospital (D1LOS). METHODS: A prospective stroke registry from 23 Emergency Departments (ED) from 2007 to 2012 over the nation was collected. Ischemic stroke patients who arrived at the first ED within 24 hours of onset (S2D1) were enrolled. Patients were excluded if time intervals or address were incorrect or missing. Main exposure was urbanization level; urban > or =10,000 and rural <10,000 population. Primary outcome was D1LOS. The secondary outcomes were symptoms to door of the first ED (S2D1) and transfer time to the final ED (T2D2). We compared the D1LOS, S2D1, and T2D2 with median and inter-quartile range (IQR) by urbanization level. RESULTS: Of 5,909 patients transferred from other hospitals, 2,289 patients were analyzed; 1,441 (63%) patients in urban areas, 848 (37%) patients in rural areas were included. The D1LOS and S2D1 in urban was longer than those in rural; 100 minutes (IQR 50~208) for urban VS 82.5 minutes (IQR 48~170.5) for rural (p=0.01) and 66 minutes (IQR 30~240) for urban VS 90 minutes (IQR 30~330) for rural (p=0.001). T2D2 in urban was shorter than that in rural; 54 minutes (IQR 36~78), 40 minutes (IQR 25~65) (p< or =0.00), respectively. CONCLUSION: Urban EDs showed longer D1LOS before transferring patients to the hospital for definite care. Strategy for reducing delay due to inter-hospital transport should differ according to urbanization.
Emergency Medical Services ; Emergency Service, Hospital ; Humans ; Length of Stay ; Patient Transfer ; Reperfusion ; Stroke* ; Urbanization*

PURPOSE: This study was conducted to analyze and clarify the meaning of the concept for relocation stress -focusing on patients transferred from an intensive care unit to a general ward. METHODS: This study used Walker and Avant's process of concept analysis. RESULTS: Relocation stress can be defined by these attributes as follows: 1) involuntary decision about relocation, 2) moving from a familiar and safe environment to an unfamiliar one, 3) broken relationship of safety and familiarity, 4) physiological and psychosocial change after relocation. The antecedents of relocation stress consisted of these facts: 1) preparation degrees of transfer from the intensive care unit to a general ward, 2) pertinence of the information related to the transfer process, 3) change of major caregivers, 4) change in numbers of monitoring devices, 5) change in the level of self-care. There are consequences occurring as a result of relocation stress: 1) decrease in patients' quality of life, 2) decrease in coping capacity, 3) loss of control. CONCLUSION: Relocation stress is a core concept in intensive nursing care. Using this concept will contribute to continuity of intensive nursing care.
Adaptation, Psychological ; Caregivers ; Concept Formation ; Humans ; *Intensive Care Units ; *Patient Transfer ; Patients' Rooms ; *Stress, Psychological

PURPOSE: When a criminal act occurs during emergency care, it becomes fatal to both the patient and doctor. Criminal acts during emergency care and judged by the Supreme Court of Korea were analyzed and investigated to decrease and prevent medical malpractice. METHODS: After assessing the Medical Act in Korea and Act on Emergency Care in Korea, a pattern of emergency care was categorized and applicable provisions were analyzed. Emergency medical malpractice cases were collected from previous reports and an internet site managed by the Supreme Court of Korea (http://glaw.scourt.go.kr). RESULTS: The patterns of emergency care can be categorized into "general emergency care", "interhospital patient transfer", and the "request for medical treatment sent to another department or hospital". Furthermore, inerthospiatl patient transfer can be categorized into "after request for emergency care" and "after medical treatment." There were ten medical malpractice cases in emergency care in which criminal responsibility occurred. There were six cases related to general emergency care and four related to interhospital patient transfer. CONCLUSION: Though the emergency care cases in which criminal responsibility occurred were few, the results critically impacted the patient and doctor. Therefore, emergency physicians must do their best to decrease and prevent medical negligence. In addition, a nation has a primary responsibility to save lives and must support emergency care.
Criminals* ; Emergencies* ; Emergency Medical Services* ; Humans ; Internet ; Korea ; Malpractice ; Patient Transfer

PURPOSE: When a criminal act occurs during emergency care, it becomes fatal to both the patient and doctor. Criminal acts during emergency care and judged by the Supreme Court of Korea were analyzed and investigated to decrease and prevent medical malpractice. METHODS: After assessing the Medical Act in Korea and Act on Emergency Care in Korea, a pattern of emergency care was categorized and applicable provisions were analyzed. Emergency medical malpractice cases were collected from previous reports and an internet site managed by the Supreme Court of Korea (http://glaw.scourt.go.kr). RESULTS: The patterns of emergency care can be categorized into "general emergency care", "interhospital patient transfer", and the "request for medical treatment sent to another department or hospital". Furthermore, inerthospiatl patient transfer can be categorized into "after request for emergency care" and "after medical treatment." There were ten medical malpractice cases in emergency care in which criminal responsibility occurred. There were six cases related to general emergency care and four related to interhospital patient transfer. CONCLUSION: Though the emergency care cases in which criminal responsibility occurred were few, the results critically impacted the patient and doctor. Therefore, emergency physicians must do their best to decrease and prevent medical negligence. In addition, a nation has a primary responsibility to save lives and must support emergency care.
Criminals* ; Emergencies* ; Emergency Medical Services* ; Humans ; Internet ; Korea ; Malpractice ; Patient Transfer