State of Emergency Medicine in Switzerland: a national profile of emergency departments in 2006

Details

Ressource 1Download: BIB_692751E36BD2.P001.pdf (1583.27 [Ko])
State: Public
Version: Final published version
Serval ID
serval:BIB_692751E36BD2
Type
Article: article from journal or magazin.
Collection
Publications
Institution
Title
State of Emergency Medicine in Switzerland: a national profile of emergency departments in 2006
Journal
International Journal of Emergency Medicine
Author(s)
Sanchez B., Hirzel A.H., Bingisser R., Ciurea A., Exadaktylos A., Lehmann B., Matter H., Meier K., Osterwalder J., Sieber R., Yersin B., Camargo Jr C.A., Hugli O.
ISSN
1865-1380 (Electronic)
ISSN-L
1865-1372
Publication state
Published
Issued date
2013
Peer-reviewed
Oui
Volume
6
Number
1
Pages
23-23
Language
english
Notes
Publication types: State of International Emergency Medicine ; research-article Identifiant PubMed Central: PMC3727950
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Emergency departments (EDs) are an essential component of any developed health care system. There is, however, no national description of EDs in Switzerland. Our objective was to establish the number and location of EDs, patient visits and flow, medical staff and organization, and capabilities in 2006, as a benchmark before emergency medicine became a subspecialty in Switzerland.
METHODS: In 2007, we started to create an inventory of all hospital-based EDs with a preliminary list from the Swiss Society of Emergency and Rescue Medicine that was improved with input from ED physicians nationwide. EDs were eligible if they offered acute care 24 h per day, 7 days per week. Our goal was to have 2006 data from at least 80% of all EDs. The survey was initiated in 2007 and the 80% threshold reached in 2012.
RESULTS: In 2006, Switzerland had a total of 138 hospital-based EDs. The number of ED visits was 1.475 million visits or 20 visits per 100 inhabitants. The median number of visits was 8,806 per year; 25% of EDs admitted 5,000 patients or less, 31% 5,001-10,000 patients, 26% 10,001-20,000 patients, and 17% >20,000 patients per year. Crowding was reported by 84% of EDs with >20,000 visits/year. Residents with limited experience provided care for 77% of visits. Imaging was not immediately available for all patients: standard X-ray within 15 min (70%), non-contrast head CT scan within 15 min (38%), and focused sonography for trauma (70%); 67% of EDs had an intensive care unit within the hospital, and 87% had an operating room always available.
CONCLUSIONS: Swiss EDs were significant providers of health care in 2006. Crowding, physicians with limited experience, and the heterogeneity of emergency care capabilities were likely threats to the ubiquitous and consistent delivery of quality emergency care, particularly for time-sensitive conditions. Our survey establishes a benchmark to better understand future improvements in Swiss emergency care.
Keywords
Emergency medicine, Emergency medical services, Emergency hospital service, Switzerland
Pubmed
Open Access
Yes
Create date
11/07/2016 10:04
Last modification date
20/08/2019 14:24
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