North Carolina Emergency Department data: January 1, 2007-December 31, 2007.

Background: The purpose of this paper is to describe patient characteristics and clinical conditions seen in North Carolina emergency departments (EDs) in 2007.

Methods: Data were analyzed from a static database of all 2007 ED visits in the North Carolina Disease Event Tracking and Epidemiologic Collection Tool (NC DETECT). Data were captured from 80% of North Carolina EDs on January 1, 2007 and 93% as of December 31, 2007. ED visits were analyzed by age, sex, method of ED arrival, return and repeat ED visits, expected source of payment, and ED disposition. Data were also analyzed by selected disease and injury groups that were thought by the authors to be of epidemiologic or demographic importance to North Carolina.

Results: The first and second leading ED visit diagnosis groups in North Carolina were abdominal pain and chest pain. The top three disease groups resulting in ED visits were chest pain/ischemic heart disease (17.9% of all ED visits), substance and alcohol abuse or withdrawal (11.2%), and diabetes (78%). Falls were the most common cause of injury-related ED visits in North Carolina, almost twice as common as motor vehicle crashes.

Limitations: This study reports only on acute disorders resulting in ED visits. North Carolina legislation limits the types of data elements collected. All data depend on institutional coding practices.

Conclusions: Emergency department data can provide valuable information on the proportions and rates of ED visits for illness and injury statewide and can help identify vulnerable populations in the state.