Outpatient presentations to burn centers: Data from the Burns Registry of Australia and New Zealand outpatient pilot project

• Etiology and patient profile differ between inpatients and outpatients.
• Key differences relate to the cause and size of the burn sustained.
• Outpatient data can extend the understanding of burn injury and its prevention.
• Burn registries should consider surveillance options if resources are limited.

BackgroundMost studies about burn injury focus on admitted cases.AimTo compare outpatient and inpatient presentations at burn centers in Australia to inform the establishment of a repository for outpatient burn injury.MethodsData for sequential outpatient presentations were collected at seven burn centers in Australia between December 2010 and May 2011 and compared with inpatient admissions from these centers recorded by the Burns Registry of Australia and New Zealand for the corresponding period.ResultsThere were 788 outpatient and 360 inpatient presentations. Pediatric outpatients included more children <3 years of age (64% vs 33%), scald (52% vs 35%) and contact burns (39% vs 24%). Adult outpatients included fewer males (58% vs 73%) and intentional injuries (3.3% vs 10%), and more scald (46% vs 30%) and contact burns (24% vs 13%). All pediatric, and 98% of adult, outpatient presentations involved a %TBSA < 10. The pattern of outpatient presentations was consistent between centers.ConclusionsOutpatient presentations outnumbered inpatient admissions by 2.2:1. The pattern of outpatient burns presenting to burn centers differed to inpatient admission data, particularly with respect to etiology and burn severity, highlighting the importance of the need for outpatient data to enhance burn injury surveillance and inform prevention.