Validation of the Emergency Severity Index (ESI) in self-referred patients in a European emergency department.

Objective: To validate the Emergency Severity Index (ESI) triage algorithm in predicting resource consumption and disposition by self-referred patients in a European emergency department.

Methods: This was a prospective, observational cohort study using a convenience sample of self-referred emergency department patients >14 years of age presenting to a busy urban teaching hospital during a 39-day period (27 May-4 July 2001). Observed resource use was compared with resource utilisation predicted by the ESI.

Emergency department patient characteristics: Potential impact on emergency medicine residency programs in the Netherlands.

Objectives: We set out to study emergency department patient characteristics at a busy level-2 trauma center, to gain insight into the practise of emergency medicine, which is not yet recognized as a specialty in the Netherlands.

Methods: From May 27 to July 4 2001, the following data were recorded from the charts of all patients presenting to the emergency department: age, time and form of presentation, diagnostics, treatment, disposition and the single best diagnosis (International Classification of Disease-10 classification).

Results: The majority (84%) of the 5234 patients (134/day) patients seen were self-referred and treated by the emergency department physician.