Acute care needs in a rural Sub-Saharan African Emergency Centre: A retrospective analysis
Introduction: In June of 2008, Karoli Lwanga (“Nyakibale”) Hospital and Global Emergency Care Collaborative (GECC) opened the first functional Emergency Centre (EC) in rural Uganda. GECC is developing a training programme for a new cadre of midlevel Emergency Care Practitioners (ECPs), to increase a...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2012-12-01
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| Series: | African Journal of Emergency Medicine |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2211419X12001103 |
| _version_ | 1819027277380321280 |
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| author | Usha Periyanayagam Brad Dreifuss Heather Hammerstedt Stacey Chamberlain Sara Nelson Kamugisha Jon Bosco Koshaba Pellone Mark Bisanzo |
| author_facet | Usha Periyanayagam Brad Dreifuss Heather Hammerstedt Stacey Chamberlain Sara Nelson Kamugisha Jon Bosco Koshaba Pellone Mark Bisanzo |
| author_sort | Usha Periyanayagam |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Introduction: In June of 2008, Karoli Lwanga (“Nyakibale”) Hospital and Global Emergency Care Collaborative (GECC) opened the first functional Emergency Centre (EC) in rural Uganda. GECC is developing a training programme for a new cadre of midlevel Emergency Care Practitioners (ECPs), to increase access to quality emergency care. In order to determine the skills and resources needed, the unique practice demographics and the feasibility of treating patients in this setting must be understood.
Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional analysis of the first 500 consecutive patient visits in the EC’s patient care log was reviewed. Data on demographics, procedures performed, laboratory testing, bedside ultrasounds (USs) performed, radiographs (XRs) ordered, diagnoses, condition upon discharge and disposition were collated. Descriptive statistics were performed.
Results: Of the first 500 patient visits, there were 275 (55%) male visits and 132 (26.4%) visits for children under five. Procedures were performed in 367 (73.4%) patients. Laboratory testing, XRs and USs were performed in 188 (37.6%), 99 (19.8%) and 45 (7%) patients, respectively. Infectious diseases were diagnosed in 217 (43.4%) patients; traumatic injuries in 140 (28%) patients. Only one patient expired in the ED, and 401 (80.2%) were in good condition after treatment. One person was transferred to another hospital. After treatment, 180 (36%) patients were discharged home. Only five (1.0%) patients went directly to the operating theatre.
Conclusions: This pilot study describes the patient population, resource and training needs of a rural Emergency Centre in SSA. It demonstrates that acute care providers will be required to evaluate a wide variety of patient complaints, effectively utilise laboratory and radiologic testing, and perform numerous focused treatments and therapies. Specialised training programmes, such as GECC’s ECP programme, are needed to create providers able to provide high quality, lifesaving care. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-21T05:39:55Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-92e730ccf5eb4a769726572580ad99b3 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2211-419X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-21T05:39:55Z |
| publishDate | 2012-12-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | African Journal of Emergency Medicine |
| spelling | doaj.art-92e730ccf5eb4a769726572580ad99b32022-12-21T19:14:18ZengElsevierAfrican Journal of Emergency Medicine2211-419X2012-12-012415115810.1016/j.afjem.2012.09.002Acute care needs in a rural Sub-Saharan African Emergency Centre: A retrospective analysisUsha Periyanayagam0Brad Dreifuss1Heather Hammerstedt2Stacey Chamberlain3Sara Nelson4Kamugisha Jon Bosco5Koshaba Pellone6Mark Bisanzo7Northwestern University, 211 East Ontario Street, Suite 300, Chicago 60611, IL, USAUniversity of Arizona, 2800 East Ajo Way, Tucson 85713, AZ, USAGlobal Emergency Care Collaborative, 419 North Harvey Avenue, Oak Park 60302, IL, USAGlobal Emergency Care Collaborative, 419 North Harvey Avenue, Oak Park 60302, IL, USAGlobal Emergency Care Collaborative, 419 North Harvey Avenue, Oak Park 60302, IL, USAGlobal Emergency Care Collaborative, 419 North Harvey Avenue, Oak Park 60302, IL, USAGlobal Emergency Care Collaborative, 419 North Harvey Avenue, Oak Park 60302, IL, USAGlobal Emergency Care Collaborative, 419 North Harvey Avenue, Oak Park 60302, IL, USAIntroduction: In June of 2008, Karoli Lwanga (“Nyakibale”) Hospital and Global Emergency Care Collaborative (GECC) opened the first functional Emergency Centre (EC) in rural Uganda. GECC is developing a training programme for a new cadre of midlevel Emergency Care Practitioners (ECPs), to increase access to quality emergency care. In order to determine the skills and resources needed, the unique practice demographics and the feasibility of treating patients in this setting must be understood. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional analysis of the first 500 consecutive patient visits in the EC’s patient care log was reviewed. Data on demographics, procedures performed, laboratory testing, bedside ultrasounds (USs) performed, radiographs (XRs) ordered, diagnoses, condition upon discharge and disposition were collated. Descriptive statistics were performed. Results: Of the first 500 patient visits, there were 275 (55%) male visits and 132 (26.4%) visits for children under five. Procedures were performed in 367 (73.4%) patients. Laboratory testing, XRs and USs were performed in 188 (37.6%), 99 (19.8%) and 45 (7%) patients, respectively. Infectious diseases were diagnosed in 217 (43.4%) patients; traumatic injuries in 140 (28%) patients. Only one patient expired in the ED, and 401 (80.2%) were in good condition after treatment. One person was transferred to another hospital. After treatment, 180 (36%) patients were discharged home. Only five (1.0%) patients went directly to the operating theatre. Conclusions: This pilot study describes the patient population, resource and training needs of a rural Emergency Centre in SSA. It demonstrates that acute care providers will be required to evaluate a wide variety of patient complaints, effectively utilise laboratory and radiologic testing, and perform numerous focused treatments and therapies. Specialised training programmes, such as GECC’s ECP programme, are needed to create providers able to provide high quality, lifesaving care.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2211419X12001103RuralUgandaEmergency DepartmentTraining |
| spellingShingle | Usha Periyanayagam Brad Dreifuss Heather Hammerstedt Stacey Chamberlain Sara Nelson Kamugisha Jon Bosco Koshaba Pellone Mark Bisanzo Acute care needs in a rural Sub-Saharan African Emergency Centre: A retrospective analysis African Journal of Emergency Medicine Rural Uganda Emergency Department Training |
| title | Acute care needs in a rural Sub-Saharan African Emergency Centre: A retrospective analysis |
| title_full | Acute care needs in a rural Sub-Saharan African Emergency Centre: A retrospective analysis |
| title_fullStr | Acute care needs in a rural Sub-Saharan African Emergency Centre: A retrospective analysis |
| title_full_unstemmed | Acute care needs in a rural Sub-Saharan African Emergency Centre: A retrospective analysis |
| title_short | Acute care needs in a rural Sub-Saharan African Emergency Centre: A retrospective analysis |
| title_sort | acute care needs in a rural sub saharan african emergency centre a retrospective analysis |
| topic | Rural Uganda Emergency Department Training |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2211419X12001103 |
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