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INDICATOR NAME
Name
Rate of total hospital emergency department (ED) visits per 1,000 patients
Alternate Name
Rate of total hospital emergency department (ED) visits per 1,000 patients
 
INDICATOR DESCRIPTION
Description
Adjusted and unadjusted rate of ED visits measured as level 1-5 on the Canadian Triage Acuity Scale (CTAS) per 1,000 patients
Indicator Status
Active
HQO Reporting tool/product
Personalized/Custom Reports (includes Practice Reports)
Dimension
Effective
Type
Outcome
 
DEFINITION AND SOURCE INFORMATION
Unit of Measurement
Rate per 1,000 patients
Calculation Methods
Numerator/ Denominator * 1,000
Numerator including inclusion/exclusion

Number of patients who visited the ED for conditions measured as CTAS level 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5 in the previous year

Includes:

  • CTAS level 1: Conditions that are threats to life or limb (or imminent risk of deterioration) requiring immediate aggressive interventions
  • CTAS level 2: Conditions that are a potential threat to life limb or function, requiring rapid medical intervention or delegated acts
  • CTAS level 3: Conditions that could potentially progress to a serious problem requiring emergency intervention. May be associated with significant discomfort or affecting ability to function at work or activities of daily living
  • CTAS level 4: Conditions that related to patient age, distress, or potential for deterioration or complications would benefit from intervention or reassurance within 1-2 hours
  • CTAS level 5: Conditions that may be acute but non-urgent as well as conditions which may be part of a chronic problem with or without evidence of deterioration1
Denominator including inclusion/exclusion

Total number of patients between 1 and 74 years old in the previous year

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Patients less than 1 year of age and patients older than age 74
  • Visits with an inpatient admission
Adjustment (risk, age/sex standardization)- detailed
This indicator has been risk adjusted for age, sex and co-morbidities. Risk adjustment takes into account the differences among patient populations to allow for fairer comparisons between your patients and other populations. Unadjusted data is also provided to inform your quality improvement efforts.
Data Source
National Ambulatory Care Reporting System (NACRS)
Data provided to HQO by
Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences (ICES)
 
OTHER RELEVANT INFORMATION
Caveats and Limitations
NA
Footnotes
1. National Ambulatory Care Reporting System (NACRS). "Emergency Department Trends, 2012-2013". Canadian Institute of Health Information (CIHI).
 
TAGS
Sector
Acute Care/Hospital, Primary Care
Type
Outcome
Topic
Access
Dimension
Effective
Source
National Ambulatory Care Reporting System (NACRS)
 
PUBLISH
Publish Datetime
12/04/2016 10:14:00