Background It is estimated that around 21 million patients are treated in emergency rooms (ERs) in German hospitals every year. The psychiatric emergency alone accounts for about 5-10%. At this point in time, there is little knowledge of typical characteristics related to admission status (treated as outpatients or admitted as inpatients). Objectives The aim of this study was to support the decision-making process for further treatment especially for paramedics and ER staff. Materials and methods We undertook a retrospective examination of all psychiatric emergency patients presenting to an emergency room at a general hospital in the year 2015. The patients had to be at least 18 years old. We included only patients who were brought to the emergency room by the rescue and fire department. Results Overall, patients who presented to the ER by paramedics or emergency physicians made up to 29.4% of all psychiatric emergency contacts. Over two thirds of the patients were admitted to the hospital. The most frequent presentation was caused by psychotropic substances (F1), followed by schizophrenia (F2) and organic mental disorders (F0). The most common diagnosis of patients treated only on an outpatient basis was the F4 spectrum (neurotic, stress-related and somatoform disorders), followed by F1 and affective disorders (F3). Patients under the age of 25 were more likely to receive outpatient treatment. Furthermore, 96.5% of the admitted patients met the criteria of being a psychiatric emergency. Conclusion The patient presented by the rescue service is of high relevance within the psychiatric emergency cohort. Patients treated as outpatients or admitted as inpatients show clearly different characteristics. The high proportion of patients who met emergency criteria makes the syndromic severity of the patients presented by emergency services clear.     «

Background It is estimated that around 21 million patients are treated in emergency rooms (ERs) in German hospitals every year. The psychiatric emergency alone accounts for about 5-10%. At this point in time, there is little knowledge of typical characteristics related to admission status (treated as outpatients or admitted as inpatients). Objectives The aim of this study was to support the decision-making process for further treatment especially for paramedics and ER staff. Materials and method...     »