ABSTRACT

Psychiatric causes of emergency department (ED) visits in childhood have been increasing more rapidly than the other causes. The rate of re-visit to the ED due to the same complaint is an important reason for ED visits. In the present study, we investigated the impact of follow-up of child-adolescent patients presenting to the ED due to psychiatric causes by the child and adolescent psychiatrist on ED re-visits due to the same complaint.

This retrospective single-center study was conducted on child-adolescent patients admitted to the ED for psychiatric reasons in the last 2 years. A total of 77 patients were included in the study. The patients were divided into two groups according to whether they were followed up by the child and adolescent psychiatrist. The first group included patients who were followed up by the child and adolescent psychiatrist, whereas the second group included patients who were not seen or not followed up by the child and adolescent psychiatrist.

Child-adolescent patients in the first group who visited the ED due to psychiatric causes and were followed up by the child and adolescent psychiatrist had a significantly lower rate of ED re-visit due to the same complaint than those in the second group of who were not seen or followed up by the child and adolescent psychiatrist (p=0.023).

Follow-up by child and adolescent psychiatrist plays an important role in decreasing the ED re-visit rate of child-adolescent patients presenting to the ED due to psychiatric reasons.

Keywords: Child and adolescent psychiatrist, emergency department, re-visit