Australasian emergency nursing journal : AENJ
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Australas Emerg Nurs J · Nov 2012
Emergency department access targets and the older patient: a retrospective cohort study of emergency department presentations by people living in residential aged care facilities.
There is limited research on the effect of emergency access targets on health outcomes for older patients from Residential Aged Care Facilities. The aims were to: (1) identify length of stay for Residential Aged Care patients relative to access targets; and (2) examine hospital admission rates, readmission rates, inpatient costs and mortality. ⋯ Few Residential Aged Care patients were discharged within the four hours access target. This has implications for health care outcomes and costs associated with providing emergency care for patients living in Residential Aged Care Facilities.