Bross M H, Wiygul F M, Rushing S K
Department of Family Medicine, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson 39216-4505.
Fam Med. 1991 Jul;23(5):351-3.
Although rural hospital emergency departments are key components of rural health care, there is little medical literature describing their activities. This study examined the patient load of rural emergency departments in Mississippi. Each patient encounter was coded according to public health district, hospital number, patient number, age, sex, race, season, day of week, time, diagnosis, disposition, and method of payment (if available). The rural emergency departments were much busier when physician offices were closed, with the vast majority of patients being treated and sent home. Users of rural emergency departments had similar diagnoses and dispositions to users of urban emergency departments. Admitted patients tended to be older; almost one half of the patients transferred to other institutions had injuries. The findings have implications for the training of rural physicians and for policies relating to rural health care delivery.
尽管农村医院急诊科是农村医疗保健的关键组成部分，但描述其活动的医学文献却很少。本研究调查了密西西比州农村急诊科的患者数量。每次患者就诊都根据公共卫生区、医院编号、患者编号、年龄、性别、种族、季节、星期几、时间、诊断、处置方式以及支付方式（如可获取）进行编码。当医生办公室关闭时，农村急诊科要繁忙得多，绝大多数患者接受治疗后被送回家。农村急诊科的患者与城市急诊科的患者有着相似的诊断和处置情况。住院患者往往年龄较大；几乎一半转往其他机构的患者有外伤。这些研究结果对农村医生的培训以及农村医疗保健服务相关政策具有启示意义。
