Emergency department utilization among patients who receive outpatient specialty care for headache: A retrospective cohort study analysis

Objectives To compare clinical characteristics among outpatient headache clinic patients who do and do not self‐report visiting the emergency department for headache. Background Headache is the fourth most common reason for emergency department visits, compromising 1%–3% of visits. Limited data exist about patients who are seen in an outpatient headache clinic but still opt to frequent the emergency department. Clinical characteristics may differ between patients who self‐report emergency department use and those who do not. Understanding these differences may help identify which patients are at greatest risk for emergency department overutilization. Methods This observational cohort study included adults treated at the Cleveland Clinic Headache Center between October 12, 2015 and September 11, 2019, who completed self‐reported questionnaires. Associations between self‐reported emergency department utilization and demographics, clinical characteristics, and patient‐reported outcome measures (PROMs: Headache Impact Test [HIT‐6], headache days per month, current headache/face pain, Patient Health Questionnaire‐9 [PHQ‐9], Patient‐Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System [PROMIS] Global Health [GH]) were evaluated. Results Of the 10,073 patients (mean age 44.7 ± 14.9, 78.1% [7872/10,073] female, 80.3% [8087/10,073] White patients) included in the study, 34.5% (3478/10,073) reported visiting the emergency department at least once during the study period. Characteristics significantly associated with self‐reported emergency department utilization included younger age (odds ratio = 0.81 [95% CI = 0.78–0.85] per decade), Black patients (vs. White patients) (1.47 [1.26–1.71]), Medicaid (vs. private insurance) (1.50 [1.29–1.74]), and worse area deprivation index (1.04 [1.02–1.07]). Additionally, worse PROMs were associated with greater odds of emergency department utilization: higher (worse) HIT‐6 (1.35 [1.30–1.41] per 5‐point increase), higher (worse) PHQ‐9 (1.14 [1.09–1.20] per 5‐point increase), and lower (worse) PROMIS‐GH Physical Health T‐scores (0.93 [0.88–0.97]) per 5‐point increase. Conclusion Our study identified several characteristics associated with self‐reported emergency department utilization for headache. Worse PROM scores may be helpful in identifying which patients are at greater risk for utilizing the emergency department.