Background Given the higher incidence of emergency conditions in older inhabitants, the global increase in aged population will pose a challenge for emergency services. In this study we examined the burden caused to emergency health care by the aged population. Methods Consecutive patients aged 80 years or over visiting a high-volume, collaborative emergency department (ED) between 2015 and 2016 were included. The key factors under analysis were the incidence of emergency conditions and costs associated with emergency care. Results A total of 6944 patients (median age 85 years, range 80–104 years; 67% female) aged ≥80 years representing 1.5% of the local population, made 17,769 ED visits during the two-year observation period accounting for 15% of all ED visits. Forty-two percent ( n = 2884) of patients had a single ED visit, whereas 8.2% ( n = 570) made ≥5 ED visits/year for a total of 1400 visits (7.9%). Thirty-two percent of those aged ≥80 years required ED services each year. The number of ED visits increased with age ( p < 0.001); and was 768/1000 person-years among octogenarians and 1007/1000 among nonagenarians, in comparison to 233/1000 among those aged < 80 years. One in five of the study population were discharged with non-specific diagnoses. Typical diagnoses included pneumonia (4.8%), malaise and fatigue (4.5%) and heart failure (4.3%). Non-specific diagnoses were frequent, and examination of patients with non-specific diagnoses incurred costs similar to or higher than those of other patients. The mean cost per ED visit in older patients was 422 €. Conclusions We demonstrated a high incidence of emergency department visits in older patients. While our aim was not to solve how the growing demand should be met, it seems unlikely that increasing ED resources is feasible. Instead, the focus should be on chronic care of the aged and prevention of potentially avoidable ED visits.

NSAP is still the main differential diagnostic problem in the ED. Except acute appendicitis, distribution of specific diagnoses causing AAP remained rather stable through 26-year audit.

Post-appendectomy mortality is related to both negative appendectomies and complicated appendicitis. Diagnostic accuracy is fundamental in the care of patients with acute appendicitis, especially in the elderly. Improved diagnostic accuracy may have reduced mortality over the last two decades in Finland.

ERCP can be safely and efficaciously performed on elderly patients. The high mortality should be taken into consideration when selecting therapeutic options.