Characterizing Emergency Department Utilization among Pediatric Patients with Tympanostomy Tubes

Abstract

Within a year of surgery, nearly one-third of patients with TT visited the ED. Medicaid-enrolled patients visited the ED three times more often than commercially insured patients, indicating the need for better access to appropriate levels of care for the Medicaid popluation. Further research is needed to elucidate the substantial rate of ED utilization in this pediatric population and the reason for the disparity between all-case and ear-related ED visits. Health care decision makers should be aware of the inappropriate utilization of the ED to manage non-emergency conditions.