Se pretende describir el perfil de usuario y determinar su motivación para visitar el servicio de urgencias hospitalario (SUH) por iniciativa propia.

Se elaboró un cuestionario ad hoc que se aplicó por selección consecutiva a los pacientes que podían esperar asistencia (nivel 1 del triage) durante una semana de noviembre de 2002.

Respondieron el cuestionario 348 pacientes, acudiendo por iniciativa propia el 82,5%. De éstos, el 17,7% desconocía el funcionamiento de atención primaria respecto a urgencias; el 18,8% consultó con su centro de salud; el 55,0% refirió preferencia por el SUH y el 13,5% acudió por demora en otros niveles asistenciales. El 50,5% era menor de 40 años y el 9,2%, extranjero.

Los cambios en el patrón de consumo de servicios sanitarios pueden comprometer la organización del Sistema Nacional de Salud, si no se adapta la oferta a la necesidad expresada y/o se interviene modulando el uso racional de los recursos sanitarios.

The aim of this study was to determine the reasons why patients use hospital emergency services (HES) on their own initiative and the characteristics of these users.

An ad hoc questionnaire was designed and applied by consecutive selection to patients who could have waited for medical care (level 1 triage) over a 1-week period in November 2002.

A total of 348 patients completed the questionnaire; 82.5% attended on their own initiative; of these, 17.7% reported they did not know how Primary Care worked in relation to the Emergency Services; 18.8% consulted a Primary Care physician; 55.0% preferred the HES and 13.5% attended because of a delay in another health care setting. Half the patients (50.5%) were younger than 40 years old and 9.2% were foreigners.

Changes in health services’ consumption patterns could jeopardize the public health system unless supply is adapted to the demand expressed and/or interventions are performed to educate the public in rational health services’ consumption.