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. 2023 Jul 5;11(13):1943.
doi: 10.3390/healthcare11131943.

Features of ENT Cases in the Emergency Department of a Tertiary Hospital in Greece: A Prospectively Driven Data Collection Study

Nikolaos Papadopoulos  1 , Emmanuel P Prokopakis  2 , Alexander D Karatzanis  2 , Manolis Linardakis  1 , Evangelia Mourellou  1 , Emmanouil K Symvoulakis  1
Affiliations

Features of ENT Cases in the Emergency Department of a Tertiary Hospital in Greece: A Prospectively Driven Data Collection Study

Nikolaos Papadopoulos et al. Healthcare (Basel). .

Abstract

Primary healthcare is the pillar of a well-functioning healthcare system. General practitioners (GPs) should have a broad skillset to cope with the various conditions they encounter in everyday practice. Ear, nose, and throat (ENT) cases are some of the most common reasons for seeking care. The study aimed to define the frequency and type of ENT disorders seen in the emergency department of a tertiary hospital in Greece. All patients examined by an ENT specialist in the emergency department setting, within a year, were recorded, as well as all referrals from private practice or primary care facilities. From September to December 2021, data were collected from patients who agreed to complete a two-minute survey, namely, the Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale (GAD-2) questionnaire. During the study year, 4542 cases were documented, from which the most common conditions listed were external otitis (6.9%/314), epistaxis (6.7%/305), and impacted earwax (5.7%/261). The diagnoses that led to hospitalization were 336 and the most common were peritonsillar abscess (16.4%/55), epistaxis (8.0%/27), and facial nerve paralysis (7.4%/25). Referrals from GPs working in the public sector represented more than the half of the total. There was a significant correlation between an increased number of hospital visits and an increased GAD-2 score, in the semester before the current visit (p < 0.001). Referrals to ENT specialists represent around 5% of all cases examined, and about 8% of all visits required hospitalization. Interdisciplinary clinical and research investment into GP training is compulsory to regulate ENT referrals by GPs.

Keywords: ENT; emergency department; primary care; referrals; urgent cases.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Comparative monthly distribution of the frequency and trend of visits to the ENT Department of a tertiary hospital in the years 2006 and 2021 (secular trend).
Figure 2
Figure 2
Hourly distribution of frequency and trend of 4461 visits to the ENT Department of a tertiary hospital over the duration of a year.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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