Internship project: Determining factors that influence emergency department (ED) overuse

This project aims to identify characteristics of patients likely to overuse the Emergency Department for non-emergency issues. Currently, these patients are only identified when they have developed an extensive history of ED use for non-emergency reasons (i.e. excess cost and diminished quality of care has already occurred). Developing a predictive model or profile would allow proactive education (e.g. alternatives to ED, proper use of ED, the importance of primary care provider (PCP), etc.) and intervention (i.e. help modify the impact of SDOH barriers to primary care, establish a bond with the PCP, address mental health issues, etc.) prior to the occurrence of ED overuse.