Prevalence of Low-Acuity Pediatric Emergency Medical Services Transports to a Pediatric Emergency Department in an Urban Area

Objectives Many patients transported by Emergency Medical Services (EMS) do not have emergent resource needs. Estimates for the proportion of pediatric EMS calls for low-acuity complaints, and thus potential candidates for alternative dispositions, vary widely and are often based on physician judgment. A more accurate reference standard should include patient assessments, interventions, and dispositions. The objective of this study was to describe the prevalence and characteristics of low-acuity pediatric EMS calls in an urban area. Methods This is a prospective observational study of children transported by EMS to a tertiary care pediatric emergency department. Patient acuity was defined using a novel composite measure that included physiologic assessments, resources used, and disposition. Bivariable and multivariable logistic regression were conducted to assess for factors associated with low-acuity status. Results A total of 996 patients were enrolled, of whom 32.9% (95% confidence interval, 30.0–36.0) were low acuity. Most of the sample was Black, non-Hispanic with a mean age of 7 years. When compared with adolescents, children younger than 1 year were more likely to be low acuity (adjusted odds ratio, 3.1 1.9–5.1). Patients in a motor vehicle crash were also more likely to be low acuity (adjusted odds ratio, 2.4 1.2–4.6). All other variables, including race, insurance status, chief complaint, and dispatch time, were not associated with low-acuity status. Conclusions One third of pediatric patients transported to the pediatric emergency department by EMS in this urban area are for low-acuity complaints. Further research is needed to determine low-acuity rates in other jurisdictions and whether EMS providers can accurately identify low-acuity patients to develop alternative EMS disposition programs for children.