[Evaluation of severity of illness in the emergency service of the university hospital of UFSC].

In order to determine whether emergency wards are inappropriately used we undertook a prospective study to evaluate the severeness of condition of patients seen at the UFSC University Hospital Emergency Ward. The time required for adequate therapeutic intervention was used as the main criterion of severity. Patients considered themselves to be emergencies in 16.6% of cases, whereas physicians thought so in only 2.6% (initial evaluation) and 1.0% (final evaluation) of cases. Sixty five percent of the patients could have been taken care of at a primary care site. The main reasons that prevented the use of a primary care unit were the more rapid and more convenient emergency room facilities. We conclude that the UFSC University Hospital Emergency Room is inappropriately used and suggest possible measures to improve health care delivery to the general public.