Evaluation of nonurgent medical care in the emergency room

The quality of nonurgent medical care in the emergency room (ER) was evaluated in a retrospective study of 289 of 301 patients with fever. Evaluation was based on a comparison between the treatment given and that required, according to criteria that had been developed with an emphasis on simplicity and suitability for ER work. The use of ancillary investigations was found to be defective in 42% of the cases. The combined evaluation of diagnostic workup and therapy showed that only 40% were adequately treated. About 16% of the patients returned to the ER with fever, indicating failure of treatment. The methods of evaluation used may be of value in controlling the quality of medical care given nonurgent cases in the ER, and contribute to improvement in this important service.