The overcrowding of first aid facilities creates considerable hardship and problems whichhave repercussions on patients’ wellbeing, the time needed for a diagnosis, and on the quality ofthe assistance. The basic objective of this contribution, based on the data collected by the HospitalPoliclinico Umberto I in Rome (Lazio region, Italy), is to carry out a territorial screening ofthe municipality using GIS applications and spatial analyses aimed at reducing—in terms oftriage—code white (inappropriate) attendances, after having identified the areas of greatest provenanceof improperly used emergency room access. Working in a GIS environment and using functions forgeocoding, we have tested an experimental model aimed at giving a close-up geographical-sanitarylook at the situation: recognizing the territorial sectors in Rome which contribute to amplifyingthe Policlinico Umberto I emergency room overcrowding; leading up to an improvement ofthe situation; promoting greater awareness and knowledge of the services available on the territory,a closer relationship between patient and regular doctor (general practitioner, GP) or Local HealthcareUnit and a more efficient functioning of the emergency room. In particular, we have elaborateda “source” map from which derive all the others and it is a dot map on which all the codes white havebeen geolocalized on a satellite image through geocoding. We have produced three sets made upof three digital cartographic elaborations each, constructed on the census sections, the census areasand the sub-municipal areas, according to data aggregation, for absolute and relative values, andusing different templates. Finally, following the same methodology and steps, we elaborated anotherdot map about all the codes red to provide another kind of information and input for social utility.In the near future, this system could be tested on a platform that spatially analyzes the emergencydepartment (ED) accesses in near-real-time in order to facilitate the identification of critical territorialissues and intervene in a shorter time to regulate the influx of patients to the ED.
Emergency Department Overcrowding. A Retrospective Spatial Analysis and the Geocoding of Accesses. A Pilot Study in Rome
Migliara G.;
2020-01-01
Abstract
The overcrowding of first aid facilities creates considerable hardship and problems whichhave repercussions on patients’ wellbeing, the time needed for a diagnosis, and on the quality ofthe assistance. The basic objective of this contribution, based on the data collected by the HospitalPoliclinico Umberto I in Rome (Lazio region, Italy), is to carry out a territorial screening ofthe municipality using GIS applications and spatial analyses aimed at reducing—in terms oftriage—code white (inappropriate) attendances, after having identified the areas of greatest provenanceof improperly used emergency room access. Working in a GIS environment and using functions forgeocoding, we have tested an experimental model aimed at giving a close-up geographical-sanitarylook at the situation: recognizing the territorial sectors in Rome which contribute to amplifyingthe Policlinico Umberto I emergency room overcrowding; leading up to an improvement ofthe situation; promoting greater awareness and knowledge of the services available on the territory,a closer relationship between patient and regular doctor (general practitioner, GP) or Local HealthcareUnit and a more efficient functioning of the emergency room. In particular, we have elaborateda “source” map from which derive all the others and it is a dot map on which all the codes white havebeen geolocalized on a satellite image through geocoding. We have produced three sets made upof three digital cartographic elaborations each, constructed on the census sections, the census areasand the sub-municipal areas, according to data aggregation, for absolute and relative values, andusing different templates. Finally, following the same methodology and steps, we elaborated anotherdot map about all the codes red to provide another kind of information and input for social utility.In the near future, this system could be tested on a platform that spatially analyzes the emergencydepartment (ED) accesses in near-real-time in order to facilitate the identification of critical territorialissues and intervene in a shorter time to regulate the influx of patients to the ED.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
