In Korea, the national evaluation program for emergency medical centers (EMCs) was introduced in 2003. EMCs in Korea have three levels of emergency centers including regional emergency centers, local emergency centers, and local emergency rooms. The evaluation system assesses the performance of EMCs at all three levels. The role of both regional emergency centers and local emergency centers administer the final treatment for severe emergency patients, although the definition of severe emergency patients is unclear. These factors may aggravate crowding at the emergency department. The national evaluation system aims to reduce the length of stay in the emergency department. However, reduction of the length of stay at emergency department may cause a conflict with the administration of final treatment for critically ill emergency patients owing to a lack of in-hospital beds. Crowding of the emergency department is not a problem of EMCs but that of the health system. In 2019, the Korean Society of Emergency Medicine performed a study to improve the national evaluation program for EMC and the performance of EMC. Here, we have summarized the results.

PURPOSE: On November 15, 2012, sales of OTC (Over-The-Counter) drugs began at convenience stores, which changed the accessibility of some drugs. As a result, the exposure and access patterns of these drugs could have changed. In this study, we reviewed the changes in the characteristics of drug poisoning patients because of the reposition of nonprescription drugs according to the revised Pharmaceutical Affairs Act. METHODS: A retrospective study was conducted to evaluate changes in characteristics of drug poisoning patients between 2008 and 2016. A registry was developed by an emergency medical center in a local tertiary teaching hospital, and patients who visited the center were enrolled in this registry. We compared two periods, from 2008 to 2012 (Pre OTC) and from 2013 to 2016 (Post OTC), for type of intoxicant, time from poisoning to visiting the emergency center, intention, psychiatric history, previous suicidal attempt, alcohol status, and emergency room outcomes. The primary outcome was the number of patients who took acetaminophen and NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs). Secondary outcomes were ICU admission rate, mortality rate, and number of patients who visited the ER when the pharmacy was closed after taking acetaminophen and NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs). RESULTS: Among 1,564 patients, 945 and 619 patients visited the emergency room during pre and post OTC periods. The number of patients with acetaminophen and NSAIDs poisoning decreased from 9.2% to 6.1% (p=0.016). The ICU admission rate and mortality rate in the emergency room did not show significant results in the relevant patient groups, and so was the number of patients visiting ER when the pharmacy was closed taking acetaminophen and NSAIDs. CONCLUSION: Despite the sales of nonprescription drugs at convenience stores, the number of acetaminophen and NSAIDs poisoning patients decreased.
Acetaminophen ; Anti-Inflammatory Agents ; Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal ; Commerce* ; Emergencies ; Emergency Service, Hospital ; Hospitals, Teaching ; Humans ; Intention ; Mortality ; Nonprescription Drugs* ; Pharmacy ; Poisoning ; Retrospective Studies

Objective: This study investigates the characteristics of patients who were re-transferred from other hospitals to regional or local emergency medical centers. Methods: Data from 2016 to 2017 was obtained from the National Emergency Department Information System (NEDIS). The study population was classified as ‘transferred group’ and ‘direct visit group.’ The transferred group was further subdivided into the ‘re-transfer group’ (patients transferred out to another hospital) and ‘single transfer group’ (patients not transferred out). Multiple logistic regression analysis was performed to identify factors associated with re-transfer. Results: The re-transfer rate (3.7%) of the ‘transferred group’ was higher than the transfer rate (1.3%) of the ‘direct visit group’. Multiple regression analysis revealed that older age, male (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 1.082; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.606-1.105), medical aid (aOR, 1.231; 95% CI, 1.191-1.105), injury origin (aOR, 1.063; 95% CI, 1.006-1.122), and Korean Triage and Acuity Scale level 1 or 2 (aOR, 1.214; 95% CI, 1.182-1.247), are associated with re-transfer. The Korean Standard Classification of Diseases group having the highest re-transfer rate was determined to be the neoplasm disease group. Conclusion Data from the current study reveals that factors associated with an increased likelihood of re-transfer were high severity, old age, medical aid, and neoplasm diagnosis. Considering these characteristics of re-transferred patients, it is necessary to improve the transfer system to reduce re-transfers. However, further research is required, including the reasons for the transfer.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to analyze the effects of emergency department length of stay (ED LOS) on the prognosis of patients classified in 28 severe illness diagnosis code groups. Methods: We used data from the National Emergency Department Information System (NEDIS) from 2016 to 2017. Patients with severe illness diagnosis codes as per the discharge diagnosis reports of the emergency department were included and classified into 28 diagnosis code groups. We used multiple logistic regression analysis on the various diagnosis groups to determine whether 6 hours of ED LOS was a factor influencing mortality. Results: Of the 18,217,034 patients in the NEDIS data, 553,918 patients were hospitalized with a severe illness code at regional or local emergency medical centers. The average ED LOS was 389 minutes in the non-survivor group and 420 minutes in the survivor group. After adjusting for confounders, ED LOS >6 hours was associated with lower mortality (odds ratio, 0.737; 95% confidence interval, 0.715-0.759). The association of ED LOS >6 hours with lower mortality was found in the diagnosis groups for acute myocardial infarction, intracranial hemorrhage, major trauma, aortic dissection, gastrointestinal bleeding/foreign bodies, intoxication, acute kidney injury, and post-resuscitation status. Conclusion In the analysis for the 28 severe disease illness code groups, ED LOS of more than 6 hours was not a factor that adversely affects the in-hospital mortality.

Background: Survival and post-cardiac arrest care vary considerably by hospital, region, and country. In the current study, we aimed to analyze mortality in patients who underwent cardiac arrest by hospital level, and to reveal differences in patient characteristics and hospital factors, including post-cardiac arrest care, hospital costs, and adherence to changes in resuscitation guidelines. Methods: We enrolled adult patients (≥ 20 years) who suffered non-traumatic cardiac arrest from 2006 to 2015. Patient demographics, insurance type, admission route, comorbidities, treatments, and hospital costs were extracted from the National Health Insurance Service database. We categorized patients into tertiary hospital, general hospital, and hospital groups according to the level of the hospital where they were treated. We analyzed the patients' characteristics, hospital factors, and mortalities among the three groups. We also analyzed post-cardiac arrest care before and after the 2010 guideline changes. The primary end-point was 30 days and 1 year mortality rates. Results: The tertiary hospital, general hospital, and hospital groups represented 32.6%, 49.6%, and 17.8% of 337,042 patients, respectively. The tertiary and general hospital groups were younger, had a lower proportion of medical aid coverage, and fewer comorbidities, compared to the hospital group. Post-cardiac arrest care, such as percutaneous coronary intervention, targeted temperature management, and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, were provided more frequently in the tertiary and general hospital groups. After adjusting for age, sex, insurance type, urbanization level, admission route, comorbidities, defibrillation, resuscitation medications, angiography, and guideline changes, the tertiary and general hospital groups showed lower 1-year mortality (tertiary hospital vs. general hospital vs. hospital, adjusted odds ratios, 0.538 vs. 0.604 vs. 1; P < 0.001). After 2010 guideline changes, a marked decline in atropine use and an increase in post-cardiac arrest care were observed in the tertiary and general hospital groups. Conclusion The tertiary and general hospital groups showed lower 30 days and 1 year mortality rates than the hospital group, after adjusting for patient characteristics and hospital factors. Higher-level hospitals provided more post-cardiac arrest care, which led to high hospital costs, and showed good adherence to the guideline change after 2010.

Background: Survival and post-cardiac arrest care vary considerably by hospital, region, and country. In the current study, we aimed to analyze mortality in patients who underwent cardiac arrest by hospital level, and to reveal differences in patient characteristics and hospital factors, including post-cardiac arrest care, hospital costs, and adherence to changes in resuscitation guidelines. Methods: We enrolled adult patients (≥ 20 years) who suffered non-traumatic cardiac arrest from 2006 to 2015. Patient demographics, insurance type, admission route, comorbidities, treatments, and hospital costs were extracted from the National Health Insurance Service database. We categorized patients into tertiary hospital, general hospital, and hospital groups according to the level of the hospital where they were treated. We analyzed the patients' characteristics, hospital factors, and mortalities among the three groups. We also analyzed post-cardiac arrest care before and after the 2010 guideline changes. The primary end-point was 30 days and 1 year mortality rates. Results: The tertiary hospital, general hospital, and hospital groups represented 32.6%, 49.6%, and 17.8% of 337,042 patients, respectively. The tertiary and general hospital groups were younger, had a lower proportion of medical aid coverage, and fewer comorbidities, compared to the hospital group. Post-cardiac arrest care, such as percutaneous coronary intervention, targeted temperature management, and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, were provided more frequently in the tertiary and general hospital groups. After adjusting for age, sex, insurance type, urbanization level, admission route, comorbidities, defibrillation, resuscitation medications, angiography, and guideline changes, the tertiary and general hospital groups showed lower 1-year mortality (tertiary hospital vs. general hospital vs. hospital, adjusted odds ratios, 0.538 vs. 0.604 vs. 1; P < 0.001). After 2010 guideline changes, a marked decline in atropine use and an increase in post-cardiac arrest care were observed in the tertiary and general hospital groups. Conclusion The tertiary and general hospital groups showed lower 30 days and 1 year mortality rates than the hospital group, after adjusting for patient characteristics and hospital factors. Higher-level hospitals provided more post-cardiac arrest care, which led to high hospital costs, and showed good adherence to the guideline change after 2010.

PURPOSE: We examined the relationship and concordance between end-tidal carbon dioxide (Petco2) and arterial CO2 (Paco2) in acute asthmatic patients presenting to emergency department. METHODS: This was prospective observational cohort study of acutely ill adult asthmatic patients observed March 2005 to February 2006. Data Collected were age, sex, vital sign, treatment, simultaneous Paco2 and Petco2 value and peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR). Concordance between Paco2 and Petco2 was represented by Bland-Altman plot, using pre-specified limits of agreement of +/-6 mmHg difference and described by interclass correlation coefficient. RESULTS: The study population consisted 51 adult asthma patients admitted during the study period. There was 92 Paco2 and Petco2 pairs. The Pearson correlation coefficient was 0.773 (p=0.000). The mean GAP (The difference Paco2 and Petco2) is 6.04mmHg. PEFR and GAP were negative correlation (R=-0.370). We obtained a Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve from PEFR and GAP, using a PEFR cutoff value of 30.5%. The interclass correlation coefficient between Paco2 and Petco2 was 0.652 for patients with PEFR above 30.5%, 0.362 for patients with PEFR below 30.5%, and 0.575 for patients with undetectable PEFR. CONCLUSION: Good correlation exists between Paco2 and Petco2, butr concordance is poor (among all patients the interclass correlation coefficient was 0.508). We attribute this to ventilation-perfusion mismatch. We concluded that in severely asthmatic patients with low PEFR or mechanical ventilation, end-tidal carbon dioxide is not concordant with arterial carbon dioxide.
Adult ; Asthma* ; Capnography ; Carbon Dioxide* ; Carbon* ; Cohort Studies ; Emergency Service, Hospital ; Humans ; Peak Expiratory Flow Rate ; Prospective Studies ; Respiration, Artificial ; ROC Curve ; Vital Signs

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to compare the toxicologic profiles and outcome of poisoned patients by comparing the data obtained through telephone counselling, each provided by emergency medical information center (1339) and emergency dispatch center (119). METHODS: We analyzed the telephone-based poison exposure data before and after Seoul 1339 merged to 119. We compared the Seoul 1339 call response data in 2008 with Seoul and Busan 119 call response data between 2014 and 2016. We analyzed the changes in the trend and quality of data obtained, as well as the quality of service provided by each center before and after this reallocation, by comparing the data each obtained through telephone counselling. RESULTS: The data was collected for a total of 2260 toxin exposure related calls made to Seoul 1339 in 2009, and 1657 calls to 119 in Seoul and Busan between 2014 and 2016. Significant difference was observed for age, sex, and reason for exposure to toxic substance between the two groups. CONCLUSION: After the integration of 1339 with 119, 119 focused on role of field dispatch and hospital transfer, lacking the consulting on drug poisoning. Moreover, data on exposure to toxic substances at the pre-hospital stage indicate that drug information and counseling are missing or unknown. In addition, first aid or follow-up instructions are not provided. Thus, systematic approach and management are required.
Busan ; Counseling ; Emergencies ; First Aid ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Information Centers ; Poisoning ; Seoul ; Telephone*

PURPOSE: Nursing homes continue to increase in number, and more residents are being transferred to emergency departments (EDs). The objective of this study was to investigate the overall characteristics of residents who were transferred to the ED and follow-up their course of treatments. METHODS: We identified nursing home residents aged 65 years and older who had been transferred to the ED of a regional tertiary university medical center from January 2008 to December 2009. Further attention was paid to those who had been diagnosed with sepsis. Meantime, a separate cohort of sepsis patients was collected, made up of geriatric patients aged 65 years or older who had visited the ED voluntarily from home or through medical institutions other than nursing homes during the same period. We then compared the two cohorts of sepsis patients. RESULTS: A total of 321 patients aged 65 years or older were transferred from nursing homes during the study period. Their mean age was 77.6+/-7.2 years, and 172 (54.8%) were females. Seventy six (24.2%) patients whose caregivers did not comply with the necessary procedures or refused aggressive management were discharged home or were retransferred to nursing homes. A total of 41 sepsis patients had been transferred from nursing homes, whereas 64 patients had visited the ER voluntarily or through medical institutions other than nursing homes. Even though the difference between the two groups was not significant statistically, patients transferred from nursing homes tended to be discharged or retransferred to nursing homes with inadequate treatment. CONCLUSION: A considerable number of patients transferred from nursing homes were found to be discharged or retransferred to nursing homes during acute care due to refusal of aggressive treatments. Likewise, the comparison of sepsis patients between the two arms showed a greater portion being retransferred with inadequate treatment as well as a greater rate of mortality among patients transferred from nursing homes.
Academic Medical Centers ; Aged ; Arm ; Caregivers ; Cohort Studies ; Disulfiram ; Emergencies ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Nursing Homes ; Sepsis

PURPOSE: The role of a point of care test (POCT) is currently becoming important when treating patients and making decisions in the emergency department. It also plays a role for managing patients presenting with drug intoxication. But the availability of the test has not yet been studied in Korea. Therefore, we investigated the utility and the availability of POCT for drug screening used in the emergency department. METHODS: This was a retrospective study for those patients with drug intoxication between January 2007 and December 2010 in an urban emergency department. RESULTS: Between the study period, 543 patients were examined with a Triage(R)-TOX Drug Screen. Among those, 248 (45.7%) patients showed negative results and 295 (54.3%) patients showed positive results. The sensitivity of the test for benzodiazepine, acetaminophen and tricyclic antidepressants were 85.9%, 100%, 79.2%, respectively. CONCLUSION: POCT of drug screening in emergency department showed good accuracy especially in patient with benzodiazepine, acetaminophen and tricyclic antidepressant intoxication. Therefore, it can be useful diagnostic tool for the management of intoxicated patients.
Acetaminophen ; Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic ; Benzodiazepines ; Drug Evaluation, Preclinical ; Emergencies ; Humans ; Korea ; Mass Screening ; Retrospective Studies