Qualitative approach to the increase for care demand on self-referral in a hospital emergency department

Abstract

Background: In recent years, it has been seen that, despite the existence of emergency services in Primary Care, some users attend emergency services of their referral hospital on their own initiative. The objective of this study was to explore the causes of the increase in the Northern Health Management Area of Huelva (Spain) population’s own initiative to attend hospital emergency services, to the detriment of the provision of emergency services by Primary Care.

Methods: A qualitative study based on the Grounded Theory by Glasser and Strauss was carried out on a sample of nineteen patients and sixteen physicians from the Northern Health Management Area of Huelva (Spain), divided into four focus groups. This method has four phases: data collection, data organisation, data analysis, and theory development.

Results: The qualitative analysis process of the four focus groups resulted in 104 codes or minimum units of information. The main causes of the increase in this own initiative were related to delays in medical appointments and complementary tests, mistrust in Primary Care physicians and greater trust in hospital specialists, ignorance regarding the offer of services, proximity to the hospital, and the closure of the Riotinto (Huelva) emergency point.

Conclusions: Lack of accessibility to specialised care, geographic dispersion, mistrust due to deterioration of the physician-patient relationship, lack of health education among the population, and the culture of immediacy are the main causes of the increase in attending hospital emergency services on their own initiative identified in this population.