Table 1 The baseline characteristic among the emergency department visit patients by policy intervention
| Â | Regionalization Policy Intervention | Categorization Policy Intervention | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Pre-policy period (n = 475,991) | Regionalization period (n = 340,870) |  | Regionalization period (n = 340,870) | Categorization period (n = 448,873) |  | |
n (%) | n (%) | P Value | n (%) | n (%) | P Value | |
Sex | ||||||
 Female | 240,804 (50.6) | 173,685 (51.0) | 0.034 | 173,685 (51.0) | 228,441 (50.9) | 0.72 |
 Male | 235,187 (49.4) | 167,185 (49.0) | 167,185 (49.0) | 220,432 (49.1) | ||
Age | ||||||
  < 18 | 116,178 (24.4) | 58,052 (17.0) | < 0.001 | 58,052 (17.0) | 65,081 (14.5) | < 0.001 |
 18–64 | 251,361 (52.8) | 189,921 (55.7) | 189,921 (55.7) | 261,301 (58.2) | ||
  ≥ 65 | 108,452 (22.8) | 92,897 (27.3) | 92,897 (27.3) | 122,491 (27.3) | ||
Charlson Comorbidity Index | ||||||
 CCI ≤ 1 | 371,818 (78.1) | 251,609 (73.8) | < 0.001 | 251,609 (73.8) | 328,616 (73.2) | 0.002 |
 CCI > 1 | 104,173 (21.9) | 89,261 (26.2) | 89,261 (26.2) | 120,257 (26.8) | ||
Place of residence | ||||||
 Urban | 119,532 (25.1) | 86,117 (25.3) | 0.11 | 86,117 (25.3) | 114,076 (25.4) | 0.58 |
 Suburban | 147,321 (31.0) | 105,668 (31.0) | 105,668 (31.0) | 138,697 (30.9) | ||
 Rural | 202,969 (42.6) | 145,196 (42.6) | 145,196 (42.6) | 190,850 (42.5) | ||
 Missing | 6169 (1.3) | 3889 (1.1) | 3889 (1.1) | 5250 (1.2) | ||
Place of ED resources | ||||||
 Sufficient area | 385,958 (81.1) | 277,692 (81.5) | 0.005 | 277,692 (81.5) | 364,120 (81.1) | 0.012 |
 Insufficient area | 90,033 (18.9) | 63,178 (18.5) | 63,178 (18.5) | 84,753 (18.9) | ||
Day of visit | ||||||
 Weekday | 306,106 (64.3) | 220,022 (64.5) | 0.030 | 220,022 (64.5) | 291,980 (65.0) | < 0.001 |
 Weekend | 169,885 (35.7) | 120,848 (35.5) |  | 120,848 (35.5) | 156,893 (35.0) |  |
Income level | ||||||
 Quintile 1 (Lowest) | 163,027 (34.3) | 34,632 (10.2) | < 0.001 | 34,632 (10.2) | 45,746 (10.2) | < 0.001 |
 Quintile 2 | 43,972 (9.2) | 105,197 (30.9) | 105,197 (30.9) | 134,040 (29.9) | ||
 Quintile 3 | 124,805 (26.2) | 85,505 (25.1) | 85,505 (25.1) | 37,760 (8.4) | ||
 Quintile 4 | 46,384 (9.7) | 40,680 (11.9) | 40,680 (11.9) | 126,315 (28.1) | ||
 Quintile 5 (Highest) | 95,135 (20.0) | 70,695 (20.7) | 70,695 (20.7) | 98,837 (22.0) | ||
 Missing | 2668 (0.6) | 4161 (1.2) | 4161 (1.2) | 6175 (1.4) | ||
Occupation | ||||||
 Dependents of the insured individuals | 205,782 (43.2) | 128,140 (37.6) | < 0.001 | 128,140 (37.6) | 156,843 (34.9) | < 0.001 |
 Civil servants, teachers, military personnel, and veterans | 22,276 (4.7) | 24,607 (7.2) | 24,607 (7.2) | 31,548 (7.0) | ||
 Nonmanual workers and professionals | 83,206 (17.5) | 60,068 (17.6) | 60,068 (17.6) | 87,623 (19.5) | ||
 Manual workers | 114,506 (24.1) | 92,937 (27.3) | 92,937 (27.3) | 126,101 (28.1) | ||
 Other | 47,737 (10.0) | 31,090 (9.1) | 31,090 (9.1) | 40,696 (9.1) | ||
 Missing | 2484 (0.5) | 4028 (1.2) | 4028 (1.2) | 6062 (1.4) | ||