Table 2 Characteristics of 24,609 total ED visits made by 12,672 residents in the Piedmont region, Italy, 2015–2019

ED applicant

Emergency medical service

19,641

79.8

Family decision

2,679

10.9

Transfer from private or public institution

2,047

8.3

Physician’s decision

242

1.0

Mode of arrival at ED

Public ambulance

19,847

80.6

Private/own service

4,018

16.3

Unreported/unknown

744

3.0

Time of arrival in ED

7am to 8pm

19,966

81.1

9pm to 6am

4,643

18.9

Triage emergency codes

Very critical

2,235

9.1

Critical

9,778

39.7

Not very critical

12,329

50.1

Non-critical

267

1.1

Symptoms reported at triage

Aspecific symptoms

11,146

45.3

Dyspnea

4,162

16.9

Trauma

4,010

16.3

Neurological symptoms

1,421

5.8

Abdominal pain

1,120

4.6

Fever

896

3.6

Genitourinary symptoms

702

2.9

Chest or thoracic pain

353

1.4

Bleeding (not traumatic)

321

1.3

Cardiac rhythm alteration

236

1.0

Ocular disorders

145

0.6

Shock or allergic reaction

40

0.2

Dermatological symptoms

40

0.2

Dentistry disorders

17

0.1

Diagnosis at discharge from the ED

Trauma

4,913

20.0

Respiratory diseases

4,807

19.5

Aspecific diseases

4,037

16.4

Cardiovascular diseases

2,373

9.6

Digestive diseases

1,429

5.8

Urogenital diseases

1,312

5.3

Endocrine diseases

742

3.0

Hematological diseases

718

2.9

Neurological diseases

711

2.9

Perinatal or congenital disorders

667

2.7

Mental disorders

605

2.5

Musculoskeletal diseases

547

2.2

Infectious diseases

521

2.1

Neoplasms

93

0.4

Missing

1,134

4.6

Destination after discharge from the ED

Returned to NH

13,703

55.7

Admitted to the hospital

9,172

37.3

Dead in the ED

1,204

4.9

Refused hospitalization

530

2.2