Describing the Patient Population of a Pediatric Emergency Department Based on Visit Frequency

Objective A small number of children in the United States use a disproportionate share of emergency healthcare services. Our study objective was to examine characteristics associated with frequent pediatric emergency department (PED) utilization. Methods A retrospective cohort-sequential study of patients seen in the PED of an urban children's hospital was conducted. Patients were categorized into 2 groups: infrequent users (<4 visits during index year 2017) and frequent users (>= 4 visits in 2017). Frequent PED users were further divided into persistent frequent (>= 4 visits in the year before and after 2017) and incidental frequent (>= 4 visits in 2017). Patient- and visit-level characteristics were analyzed for associations with PED utilization. Results In 2017, there were 82,361 visits by 56,767 patients to our PED. Frequent users comprised 4% of the total patient volume but accounted for 13% of visits. Compared with infrequent users, frequent users were younger, more likely publicly insured, and English speaking. Frequent user visits were more likely to occur outside clinic hours, be triaged as emergent, and involve subspecialists. Compared with visits by incidental frequent users, visits by persistent frequent users were more likely to be emergent or urgent, and involve subspecialists, diagnostic imaging, laboratory testing, and medication administration. Conclusions Although the percentage of frequent users to a PED in 2017 was low, they made up a disproportionate share of total visits. Differences between persistent and incidental frequent PED users suggest that these subgroups may benefit from tailored interventions to reduce frequent PED utilization.