Health care access problems of medically indigent emergency department walk-in patients.

摘要: Objectives: To obtain health care access data on emergency department walk-in patients and to determine factors associated with delayed care. Design: Survey of stable ED in the triage area. Setting: University California Irvine Medical Center, an urban, 493-bed, noncounty, Level I teaching hospital treating 38,000 annually. Participants: A quota 1,000 consecutive derived from a representative selection service days was included; 94% eligible agreed participate. Patients obstetrical problems (more than 20 weeks' gestation) were excluded. Interventions: Pretested survey, available both Spanish English, administered by investigator. Results: Public aid/self-pay insurance status significantly routine use for ( P χ 2 continuity correction binomial test comparison two proportions. Conclusion: Among surveyed at our facility, low-income individuals those public more likely as source care, delay seeking needed higher income fully insured individuals. These should be useful policymakers formulating rational, cost-effective strategies that improve early treatment prevention.