ER visits for neurological conditions increase during stormy weather

Brigitta Szilágyi, Associate Professor from Corvinus University and Budapest University of Technology and Economics (BME), alongside researchers from BME, Semmelweis University, and Jahn Ferenc South-Pest Hospital and Clinic,explored the correlation between weather patterns and the number of the ER visits due to neurological conditions using Péczely classifications, a typification procedure that characterises daily weather patterns. 
 
The researchers analysed the medical data of 34,650 patients admitted to the ER with conditions such as stroke or brain haemorrhage, between 2015 and 2019, and 

mathematically modelled relationships between weather types and neurological emergencies. 

A significant increase in ER visits was found on days classified as Péczely types 4 and 7; weather conditions on these days are typically cloudy, windy, and wet. 

The researchers also built a predictive simulation model to estimate the expected patient load, which accurately predicted the volume of neurological patients arriving at the ER based on Péczely weather classifications. 

“Dependable forecasts of ER admissions aid healthcare providers and policymakers in the optimal allocation of human resources. An accurate estimation of patient volume allows providers to foresee surges in demand and adjust staffing levels as needed. Furthermore, data from ER visits serve as a crucial resource for monitoring the quality of care, as they enable the tracking and analysis of metrics such as patient wait times, types of treatment administered, and visit outcomes,” says Professor Brigitta Szilágyi. 

These findings were published in the journal Heliyon and can be accessed here.