Frequent ED users appear to have higher mortality rates and are at greater risk for being admitted to the hospital when compared with non-frequent users, according to findings of a meta-analysis. Frequent ED users had a 2.2-fold greater likelihood of death than non-frequent users as well as a 1.16 higher odds of hospital admission per visit. After assessing studies that reported on outpatient visits, the authors also found that frequent ED users had a 2.65-fold increased risk of at least one outpatient encounter after their ED visit.
Source: Emergency Medicine Journal, May 7, 2015 (online).
