Open Access[Availability and use of emergency services in Tunisia:main results of a comprihensive national survey]
Author(s) -
Mohamed Kouni Chahed,
Naoufel Somrani,
H Achour
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
eastern mediterranean health journal/eastern mediterranean health journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.442
H-Index - 47
eISSN - 1687-1634
pISSN - 1020-3397
DOI - 10.26719/2001.7.4-5.805
Subject(s) - medical emergency , emergency medical services , medicine , geography
In order to assess hospital emergency rooms, a comprehensive national epidemiological investigation was conducted in all 155 public emergency structures in Tunisia. Here we present the main results of the levels of availability and use of emergency services. Coverage of the population by services is adequate [one emergency service per 60, 000 people]. Emergency wards admit about 2, 500, 000 patients every year [a quarter of the population of the country]. The university hospital emergency services are the most heavily used [150 patients per day on average]. Emergency services are sought for medical [60%], surgical [18%], paediatric [14%] and gynaecological reasons [5%]. It would be useful to assess the quality of care delivered and the satisfaction of citizens and health workers.