J Korean Soc Emerg Med.  2023 Apr;34(2):154-165.

How can be reduced discharges against medical advice from the emergency department?

• In YJ
• Jung CW
• Choi KJ
• Kim YH

Abstract

Objective
Discharge against medical advice (DAMA) from emergency departments (EDs) accounts for 0.1% to 2.7%. DAMA carries a risk of increased mortality and readmissions, and higher medical nationwide cost. Our aim was to investigate the general characteristics of DAMA patients from ED and discover for methods to reduce DAMA.
Methods
In this study, we collected and analyzed the medical records of patients who visited the ED of a general hospital from 2015 to 2020. The subjects were categorized into a DAMA group and a non-DAMA group. We compared these groups with respect to gender, age, duration of ED stay, way to visit, the reason for the visit, insurance type, accompanied by guardian, and severity classification. In addition, the factors related to ED revisits or hospitalization within one month after DAMA were analyzed.
Results
Of the 209,076 patients, 1,982 were subject to DAMA from ED. The DAMA group had a higher ratio of visits to ED by ambulance (53.2% vs. 21.4%, P<0.001), critically ill patients (74.1% vs. 51.7%, P<0.001), and medical aid type 1 (7.7% vs. 3.4%, P<0.001). The factors for the high ratio of ED revisit within one month after DAMA were as follows: critically ill patients (odds ratio [OR], 1.916; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.305-2.814), accompanied by a guardian (OR, 1.525; 95% CI, 1.105-2.105), and medical aid type 1 (OR, 2.025; 95% CI, 1.358-3.02).
Conclusion
Developing a manual on DAMA procedures and a system that can provide economic and social support to patients is to be established to reduce DAMA from ED.

Keyword

Organization and administration; Patient discharge; Emergency service; hospital