Summary
Post-Emergency consultation: a new resource created by emergency physicians
Affiliation of the authors
DOI
Quote
Álvarez-Rodríguez E, Medina Ortega J, Martín Laso MA, Abad Cuñado V, Iglesias Frax C, Gómez Rodríguez B. Post-Emergency consultation: a new resource created by emergency physicians. Rev Esp Urg Emerg. 2026;5:42–5
Summary
BACKGROUND. We describe the creation of a post-emergency consultation (PEC) designed for patients who, after evaluation in the emergency department (ED), are scheduled for a follow-up appointment within the same emergency service to monitor clinical progress or complete diagnostic and therapeutic processes.
METHOD. During 2023, demographic variables, consultation diagnoses, and actions performed in the PEC were recorded, along with indicators of accessibility (time to consultation), safety, and satisfaction among patients and professionals, assessed through an online survey.
RESULTS. A total of 491 patients were included. The most frequent condition was infection (44.6 %), and 66 % underwent laboratory follow-up. The mean time to consultation was 2.5 ± 1.1 days. The process was safe, with no mortality, a hospitalization rate of 4.7 %, and a 30-day emergency revisit rate of 17.9 %. Overall, 81 % of patients reported being satisfied or very satisfied. Emergency physicians rated the utility of the PEC at 8.7/10 and its contribution to patient care improvement at 9.2/10.
CONCLUSIONS. The PEC is a safe and satisfactory resource for both patients and emergency physicians. Its implementation requires no additional infrastructure or human resources, helps avoid unnecessary ED stays, and may serve as a complementary tool to improve urgent care for selected patients.