TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2019//
TI  - Let the right one in: high admission rate for low-acuity pediatric burns
JO  - Surgery
A1  - Anderson, Kathryn Tinsley
A1  - Bartz-Kurycki, Marisa A.
A1  - Garwood, Grant M.
A1  - Martin, Robert
A1  - Gutierrez, Rigoberto
A1  - Supak, Dylan N.
A1  - Wythe, Stephanie N.
A1  - Kawaguchi, Akemi L.
A1  - Austin, Mary T.
A1  - Huzar, Todd F.
A1  - Tsao, Kuojen
SP  - 360
EP  - 364
VL  - 165
IS  - 2
N2  - BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to characterize emergency pediatric burn care triage at a tertiary children's hospital to identify targets for quality improvement. <br><br>METHODS: A retrospective review of patients <18 years with primary burn injuries who presented to a children's emergency department in 2016 was conducted. Demographic and injury characteristics were recorded. Low acuity was defined by size (<5% total body surface area burn), depth (not third degree), and no need for conscious sedation for debridement. Multiple logistic regression was used for analysis. <br><br>RESULTS: A total of 309 pediatric burn patients were triaged in the emergency department. Patients were typically young (median 3.3 years), male (59%), Hispanic (47%), publically insured (77%), and transferred in (65%). Scalding was the most common mechanism (59%). Though most burns were small (median 2% total body surface area), not deep (<third degree: 91%), and debrided without sedation (70%), most patients were admitted (80%). On regression, larger total body surface area, child protective services involvement, and in-transfer, but not mechanism, location of injury, or time of day, were associated with observation admission (<24 hours) versus emergency department discharge. <br><br>CONCLUSION: Though burns were low acuity, most children were admitted. Social factors may play an important role in triage decisions but there may be an opportunity for improved resource utilization.<br><br>Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.<p />  <p>Language: en</p>
LA  - en
SN  - 0039-6060
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.surg.2018.06.046
ID  - ref1
ER  -