OBJECTIVE: Analysis of patient care variables in an emergency unit that applies care protocols. METHODS: Subjects: Patients admitted to the emergency unit of the São Rafael Hospital in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil, between July 1, 2000 and May 31, 2001. Study of the variables: age, gender, origin (city, district), admission date and hour, medical specialty, patient's disease (coded by ICDM-10), destiny (discharge, observation and discharge, observation and hospital admission), length of stay. RESULTS: 35.4% of the patients were under 14 years old. 86.11% of the admissions took place from 08:00 am to 10:59 pm. 78.96% of all patients were discharged after consultation. 17.86% required observation. Of these, 10.37% were discharged and 7.49% were admitted to the hospital. Length of stay was on the average of 282.9 (± 242.54) min. The ICDM-10 "R" group had a higher frequency, (29.5%). The three main causes for emergency unit admissions were fever, diarrhea and dyspnea. 12% of those who came from a distance of up to 5km required observation and 5.8% needed hospital admission. 20.23% of those that came from a distance farther than 15km required observation and 12.63% needed hospital admission. CONCLUSIONS: The majority of patients cared for in this emergency unit required low complexity care and the number increases when patients come to the hospital from a shorter distance.
Emergency; Planning; Length of stay; Protocols; Epidemiology
