Abstract

CESPEDES, D; FRANCO, M  and  RAMOS, P. Assistance request from the Emergency Department of the District Hospital of Hernandarias, Alto Paraná, Paraguay. Year 2015. Rev. salud publica Parag. [online]. 2017, vol.7, n.1, pp.7-11. ISSN 2307-3349.  https://doi.org/10.18004/rspp.2017.junio.7-11.

An urgency can be defined as "a clinical situation that needs immediate health care." There is currently an excessive increase in the use of Emergency Services, which affects the quality of care and costs, since it has been estimated that the cost of a non-urgent case taken care of in the Hospital Emergency Service is between 2.5 and 3 times greater than if the same case was taken care of in a consultation. The objective of this research is to describe the demand of the Emergency Department of the District Hospital of Hernandarias (HDH) of 2015. This study was descriptive, cross-sectional and retrospective, performed in the HDH, from january the 1st to december 31st, 2015. The data source was the records of the HDH Department of Statistics, excluding external consultations and pediatric cases. According to the priority of attention they were classified in emergencies, urgencies and normal consultation. The reasons for consultation were medical, surgical and trauma. Confidentiality of patients was guaranteed. During 2015, 95,099 cases were treated, 23,967 were registered as adult emergencies. 70% (15,815) were male. The average age was 41 years old. 95% (22,160) of the patients came from the city of Hernandarias. The months with the highest demand were August with 12% (2930), July (2701) and September (2540) 11%. January presented 2% of the cases (484). The days of greater affluence were wednesday (17%) and tuesday (16%). The reasons for consultation were 71% urgencies, 9% emergencies 9% and 20% consultations. The motives were due to medical cases (85%), trauma 9% and surgery cases in a 6%. 69% (16,638) were hospitalized. There must be a correct use of Emergencies Services in order to optimize it.

Keywords : Demand; Care; Hospital; District; Paraguay.

        · abstract in Spanish     · text in Spanish     · Spanish ( pdf )