Abstract

Aim: Unscheduled return visits to the emergency department (ED), or “bounce-backs” are widely used as indicators of care quality. These revisits may signal deficiencies in initial assessment, premature discharge, or inadequate discharge planning. This study aimed to evaluate the demographic and clinical characteristics, revisit intervals, and in-hospital outcomes of patients who returned to the ED within 72 hours of discharge.
Materials and Methods: A retrospective observational study was conducted at a tertiary training and research hospital. Adult patients (≥18 years) who returned to the ED within 72 hours with the same or similar complaints were included. Data collected included triage levels, presenting complaints, diagnostic investigations, and clinical outcomes at both visits. Patients hospitalized after return were compared with non-hospitalized counterparts. Subgroup analyses examined ward admissions, ICU admissions, and mortality. Statistical analyses used chi-square and independent t-tests (p

Key words: Bounce-back admissions, emergency department, unscheduled revisits, early return visits, continuity of care