Ng et al studied nonurgent patients who were admitted from the Emergency Department to the hospital. They noted that initial triage may misclassify some patients who may require more aggressive management. The authors are from Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and the Oriental Institute of Technology in Taiwan.
Patient selection: patient in Emergency Department triaged as nonurgen
Outcome: hospitalization
Risk factors with odds ratios >= 2:
(1) arrival by ambulance (OR 2.4)
(2) fever (temperature >= 38°C; OR 2.7)
(3) chief complaint skin swelling or redness (OR 4.6)
(4) chief complaint surgical complication (OR 3.1)
(5) multiple significant secondary diagnosis
Risk factors with odds ratios from 1.5 to 1.99:
(1) age > 65 years (OR 1.6)
(2) arrival between 08:00 and 16:00 (day shift; OR 1.5)
(3) abdominal pain (OR 1.5)
(4) lower extremity pain (OR 1.5)
Risk factors with odds ratios less than 1.5:
(1) male sex (OR 1.4)
(2) heart rate > 100 beats per minute (OR 1.47)
(3) one significant secondary diagnosis (OR 1.47)
Performance:
• The area under a predictive model for hospitalization was 0.70.
