Skip to main content

Table 3 Hospitalization and healthcare utilization characteristics of subgroups of people with frequent ED visits (top 10%) and substance use in Ontario, Alberta, and B.C. (April 1st, 2014 to March 31st, 2015)

From: Characterizing people with frequent emergency department visits and substance use: a retrospective cohort study of linked administrative data in Ontario, Alberta, and B.C., Canada

Characteristics

Ontario

Alberta

B.C

Hospitalization Characteristics (DAD)

 

Extreme (N = 2,669)

Moderate (N = 16,921)

Extreme (N = 1,468)

Moderate (N = 6,220)

Extreme (N = 1,690)

Moderate (N = 7,713)

Number of patients with at least one admission, n (%)

1,444 (54.1)

6,873 (40.6)

1,068 (72.8)

3,425 (55.1)

1,374 (81.3)

4,756 (61.7)

Number of admissions per patient

 Median (IQR)

2 (1–4)

1 (1–2)

2 (1–5)

2 (1–3)

3 (2–5)

2 (1–3)

Number of admissions (for any reason)

4,498

13,648

3,647

6,981

5,499

10,446

Total length of stay among admissions (days)

 Median (IQR)

2 (1–5)

3 (2–7)

3 (2–7)

4 (2–9)

3 (1–6)

3 (1–8)

Disposition group among admissions, n (%)

 Transferred

656 (14.6)

2,157 (15.8)

279 (7.7)

699 (10)

493 (9.0)

1,052 (10.1)

 Discharged

3,203 (71.2)

10,282 (75.3)

2,756 (75.6)

5,547 (79.5)

4,163 (75.7)

8,302 (79.5)

 Signed out (against medical advice)

621 (13.8)

927 (6.8)

586 (16.1)

639 (9.2)

807 (14.7)

961 (9.2)

 Died

18 (0.4)

280 (2.1)

22 (0.6)

84 (1.2)

25 (0.5)

99 (0.9)

 Did not return from pass

0 (0.0)

2 (0.0)

4 (0.1)

12 (0.2)

11 (0.2)

32 (0.3)

 NA

0 (0.0)

0 (0.0)

0 (0.0)

0 (0.0)

0 (0.0)

0 (0.0)

Substance-related diagnostic categories among admissions, n (%)

 Alcohol

1,108 (24.6)

3,891 (28.5)

1,084 (29.7)

1,951 (27.9)

1,415 (25.7)

2,177 (20.8)

 Other substances

417 (9.3)

1,340 (9.8)

427 (11.7)

844 (12.1)

901 (16.4)

1,841 (17.6)

 Non substance-related admission

2,973 (66.1)

8,417 (61.7)

2,136 (58.6)

4,186 (60)

3,183 (57.9)

6,428 (61.5)

Top 3 primary diagnosis among admissions, n (%)

 1

Mental and behavioural disorders due to use of alcohol, withdrawal state (F103):

477 (10.6)

Mental and behavioural disorders due to use of alcohol, withdrawal state (F103):

1,029 (7.5)

Mental and behavioural disorders due to use of alcohol, withdrawal state (F103):

462 (12.7)

Mental and behavioural disorders due to use of alcohol, withdrawal state (F103):

558 (8.0)

Mental and behavioural disorders due to use of alcohol, withdrawal state (F103):

504 (9.2)

Mental and behavioural disorders due to use of alcohol, withdrawal state (F103):

613 (5.9)

 2

Mental and behavioural disorders due to use of alcohol, acute intoxication (F100):

164 (3.6)

Alcohol-induced acute pancreatitis (K852):

648 (4.7)

Mental and behavioural disorders due to use of alcohol, dependence syndrome (F102):

109 (3.0)

Alcohol-induced acute pancreatitis (K852):

230 (3.3)

Mental and behavioural disorders due to use of alcohol, acute intoxication (F100):

259 (4.7)

Mental and behavioural disorders due to use of alcohol, acute intoxication (F100):

331 (3.2)

 3

Poisoning by benzodiazepines (T424):

99 (2.2)

Alcoholic cirrhosis of liver (K703):

588 (4.3)

Mental and behavioural disorders due to use of alcohol, acute intoxication (F100):

90 (2.5)

Mental and behavioural disorders due to use of alcohol, dependence syndrome (F102):

226 (3.2)

Mental and behavioural disorders due to use of other stimulants including caffeine, psychotic disorder (F155):

210 (3.8)

Mental and behavioural disorders due to use of other stimulants including caffeine, psychotic disorder (F155):

306 (2.9)

Mental Health Admission Characteristics (HMHDB)

 

Extreme (N = 2,669)

Moderate (N = 16,921)

Extreme (N = 1,468)

Moderate (N = 6,220)

Extreme (N = 1,690)

Moderate (N = 7,713)

Number of patients with at least one mental health admission, n (%)

1,405 (52.6)

6,054 (35.8)

695 (47.3)

1,849 (29.7)

NA

NA

Number of mental health admissions per patient

 Median (IQR)

2 (1–4)

1 (1–2)

2 (1–3)

1 (1–2)

NA

NA

Homelessness among patients with at least one admission, n (%)

 No

1,197 (85.2)

5,770 (95.3)

553 (79.6)

1,720 (93.0)

NA

NA

 Yes

208 (14.8)

284 (4.7)

142 (20.4)

129 (7.0)

NA

NA

Number of mental health admissions (for any reason)

4,294

10,229

1,605

2,876

NA

NA

Discharge disposition among mental health admissions, n (%)*

 Discharged Home

3,191 (74.3)

8,553 (83.6)

1,200 (74.8)

2,305 (80.1)

NA

NA

 Transferred

286 (6.7)

757 (7.4)

106 (6.6)

248 (8.6)

NA

NA

 Died

0 (0.0)

4 (0.0)

0 (0.0)

3 (0.1)

NA

NA

 Sign-out

276 (6.4)

347 (3.4)

299 (18.6)

320 (11.1)

NA

NA

 Other

541 (12.6)

568 (5.6)

0 (0.0)

0 (0.0)

NA

NA

Diagnostic categories among mental health admissions, n (%)

 Organic Disorders

31 (0.7)

164 (1.6)

9 (0.6)

56 (1.9)

NA

NA

 Substance Related Disorders

2,220 (51.7)

5,517 (53.9)

1162 (72.4)

1,891 (65.8)

NA

NA

 Schizophrenic and Psychotic Disorders

665 (15.5)

1,340 (13.1)

110 (6.9)

276 (9.6)

NA

NA

 Mood Disorders

679 (15.8)

2,123 (20.8)

125 (7.8)

305 (10.6)

NA

NA

 Anxiety Disorders

108 (2.5)

258 (2.5)

17 (1.1)

72 (2.5)

NA

NA

 Personality Disorders

392 (9.1)

316 (3.1)

78 (4.9)

65 (2.3)

NA

NA

 Other Mental Health Disorders

185 (4.3)

468 (4.6)

103 (6.4)

207 (7.2)

NA

NA

 Unknown Disorders

1 (0.0)

6 (0.1)

0 (0.0)

0 (0.0)

NA

NA

 Non-Mental Health Disorder

13 (0.3)

37 (0.4)

1 (0.1)

4 (0.1)

NA

NA

Other Healthcare Utilization Characteristics (MSP and Pharmanet)

 

Extreme (N = 2,669)

Moderate (N = 16,921)

Extreme (N = 1,468)

Moderate (N = 6,220)

Extreme (N = 1,690)

Moderate (N = 7,713)

MSP Long-term care, n (%)

 No

NA

NA

NA

NA

1,655 (97.9)

7,278 (94.4)

 Yes

NA

NA

NA

NA

13 (0.8)

63 (0.8)

 NA

NA

NA

NA

NA

22 (1.3)

372 (4.8)

MSP number of general practitioner visits

 Median (IQR)

NA

NA

NA

NA

53 (26–97)

28 (13–55)

MSP number of individual general practitioners

 Median (IQR)

NA

NA

NA

NA

14 (7–30)

12 (6–25)

MSP Majority source of care, n (%)

 Yes

NA

NA

NA

NA

389 (23.0)

3,010 (39.0)

 No

NA

NA

NA

NA

1,279 (75.7)

4,331 (56.2)

 0 GP visit

NA

NA

NA

NA

22 (1.3)

372 (4.8)

Number of prescription medications based on DINPIN

 Median (IQR)

NA

NA

NA

NA

26 (16–39)

19 (11–29)