Analysis and Distribution of Emergency Cases at One of Mexico's Largest Hospitals and Trauma Centers

Abstract

Objective This study aims to identify the most common emergencies among the population in the metropolitan area of Monterrey, Mexico - one of the largest cities in the country - and compare these emergencies and their characteristics with those in other countries and geographical regions. Methods This cross-sectional study included all patients (n = 14,744) treated in the emergency department of Hospital Universitario Dr. José Eleuterio González between September and December 2023. The analysis encompassed all patients registered in the triage census by nurses, excluding those with incomplete records. Since all patients with sufficient data were included, sample size calculation was not required. Statistical analyses included the chi-square test and logistic regression for categorical variables. Results A total of 14,744 emergency department patients were reviewed. Among them, 54.7% were women, with a mean age of 39.07 years (±19.62). Of the total, 92% were from the Monterrey metropolitan area. Traumatic emergencies accounted for 27.5%, with limb injuries being the most common (10.5%). Nontraumatic emergencies made up 72.5%, with abdominal/pelvic pain being the most frequent complaint (13%). The internal medicine department received the highest number of patients (36.1%). The busiest day was Saturday (15.2%), with peak hours at 1:00 p.m. (5.8%). Conclusions The majority of patients were women aged 21-30 years from the metropolitan area, primarily presenting with nontraumatic conditions such as abdominal pain. The highest patient influx occurred on Saturdays at 1:00 p.m., with most cases managed by the internal medicine department. These findings may help authorities and clinicians optimize emergency care resources by anticipating the most common emergencies and peak demand times.

Keywords: emergencies; major trauma center; politrauma; public health and safety; social and behavioral epidemiology.

Figure 1. Patient distribution across hospital departments

Figure 2. Distribution of traumatic vs. nontraumatic emergencies