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Article History

Received: 19 October 2018

Accepted: 20 February 2019

First Online: 27 February 2019

Authors’ information

: Mika Ukkonen, MD, PhD, M.Econ, is a specialist in surgery of the alimentary tract. As a master of economic sciences he has a special interest in health economics.Esa Jämsen, MD, PhD, is acting professor of Geriatrics at Tampere University, and vice-chair of the Finnish Society for Geriatric Emergency Medicine. His research interests are related to acute and hospital care of the aged.Rainer Zeitlin, MD, PhD, is the head of Sastamala Hospital in Pirkanmaa Hospital district which is a hospital focusing on rehabilitation, especially in older patients.Satu-Liisa Pauniaho, MD, PhD, is the head of emergency department of Tampere University hospital. Her interests focus on the burden, costs and patient flow in the emergency department.

: This was a retrospective, register-based study, and none of the patients were contacted. Hence, Ethics approval was not applied for. According to Finnish and European Union Legislation ethics approval or consent to participate are not required in this kind of study.

: Not applicable.

: The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

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