Overview of Children in the Emergency Department, 2010

Excerpt

There has been considerable growth in the number of emergency department (ED) visits in the United States over the past two decades, with nearly a quarter of these visits by children. Many have expressed concerns about the capability of adult-focused EDs to meet the needs of children, as these EDs may have limited pediatric-focused staff and equipment. Given concerns that the problems faced by children in the current ED system are distinct from those of adults, some national experts have called for improving ED care specifically for children. Understanding the reasons why children visit EDs may provide insight into additional needs in the community. This information also may assist in improving ED resources for treating pediatric patients.

This Statistical Brief presents nationally representative data from the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP) on ED visits for children younger than 18 years (excluding births) in 2010. Information is presented by demographic characteristics and expected payer for pediatric treat-and-release ED visits and for those that result in admission to the hospital. All differences between estimates noted in the text are statistically significant at the .0001 or better probability level.