Frequent attenders at Christchurch Hospital's Emergency Department: a 4-year study of attendance patterns.

Abstract

Frequent attenders to the ED are not, as commonly assumed, a constant population. The majority of patients change their frequency of attendance over time. Those patients who remain high users have a higher incidence of psychiatric illness and substance abuse. To initiate management intervention, ED records must be regularly monitored to identify the constant stream of new frequent attenders.