An epidemiologic comparison of injuries presenting to a pediatric emergency department and local urgent care facilities

ProblemThe objective of this study was to compare the epidemiology of injuries presenting to emergency department (ED) and urgent care (UC) facilities of a single, NEISS-affiliated hospital.MethodPatient medical records (n = 36,811) were used to compare injury incidence, injury characteristics, and demographic characteristics between the ED, on-site UC, and off-site UC during 2006.ResultsED presentations were more likely to be open wounds and motor vehicle-related compared to on-site UC presentations. ED presentations were more likely to be system wide/late effects, be made by an African American, or be paid through Medicaid compared to off-site UC presentations. On-site UC presentations were more likely to be made by an African American or be paid through Medicaid compared to off-site UC presentations.DiscussionED and UC injury characteristics and patient demographics differ. With no nationally-representative UC injury surveillance, current research likely underestimates injury incidence and presents skewed profiles. Impact on Industry: This article adds insight into the generalizability of ED-based injury surveillance to UC injuries.