EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT RESOURCE USE BY PATIENTS WITH MIGRAINE AND ASTHMA IN A HEALTH MAINTENANCE ORGANIZATION

OBJECTIVE: To identify and compare the resources consumed by patients with symptoms of asthma or migraine who presented to the Walk-In Emerg ency Department (WIED). DESIGN: Chart review. SETTING: WIED, Group Hea lth Cooperative of Puget Sound, Seattle, WA. PATIENTS: Identified via WIED records as having visited the WIED between October 1991 and Febru ary 1992 for migraine or asthma. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Time spent in the WIED, medications administered during visit and prescribed at disc harge, diagnostic procedures performed, referrals, and hospitalization s. RESULTS: Of 16 755 WIED visits during the study period, 323 (1.9%) were migraine related and 159 (1.0%) were asthma related. Ninety perce nt of the asthma patients and 62% of the migraine patients reported ha ving self-medicated prior to going to the WIED; 89% of the migraine pa tients received additional medication at the WIED versus 57% of the pa tients with asthma. Fifty-four (35.5%) of the migraine patients and 7 (4.6%) of the asthma patients had more than 1 WIED visit during the st udy period. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with asthma and migraine present str iking contrasts in the types of resources used during WIED visits. Thi s descriptive research highlights the need for further evaluation of t he appropriateness of the healthcare services provided.