Pediatric medical emergencies: clinical classification by gravity, distribution between work days and non-work days

OBJECTIVES: Assess one year of activity in a pediatric medical emergency un it of a non-university hospital to detail the degree of gravity of patients admitted to pediatric wards and the distribution of non-programmed activit y between and work days and non-work days. METHODS: Prospective classification into 5 degrees of emergency of all admi tted children and count of non-programmed medical and surgical activity. RESULTS: A significantly growing number of consultations for minor problems was observed during non-work days. Most hospitalizations were for problems of a rather relative emergency nature. CONCLUSION: The creation of a "day-hospital" would allow evaluation and/or treatment of a large number of pediatric patients without requiring hospita lization. The problem of controlling the flow of consultations to the hospi tal remains a difficult problem. The many reasons leading to hospital consu ltation are poorly assessed. It appears indispensable to promote population "education" and development of closer physician's office-hospital collabor ation.