Emergency Room Overcrowding and Wait Times: the Direct Impact on Patient Care
Emergency Room Overcrowding and Wait Times:
The Direct Impact on Patient Care
Joann Hobbs
Spalding University
Abstract Background. This study was done to determine if prolonged wait times in the emergency department (ED) effect overall care and treatment of patients. Methods. This project used questionnaires that were distributed to patients at 6 local emergency rooms, electronic data collected from said facilities, as well as interviews from the nursing staff on duty at the time of distribution of the questionnaires. Data collected was used to determine: 1.) What is general perception\definition of overcrowding, 2.) Average wait times from waiting room to beginning of treatment, 3.) Pt’s impression of care and treatment received, and 4.) Condition of pt’s seen during periods of overcrowding five days out from discharge. Results. This study has not been conducted yet. Conclusion. There is evidence in researching literature on these topics to support that this study should be conducted as there is little to support this topic from a nursing stand point. Keywords. emergency department, overcrowding, throughput, boarding, wait times, patient care.
Introduction Emergency departments (ED) through out the United States see roughly 136 million patients each year, based on data from 2009 (National, 2011). Many of these visits are non-urgent, others are repeat visits for the same problems. Due to these and several other factors the ED’s are becoming overcrowded and the wait times are increasing drastically. On average in 2009, a patient spent a total of four hours and seven minutes in the emergency department (Press, 2009). One would think nowadays, with reimbursement (Medicare and other funding) being based so greatly on patient satisfaction scores that the hospitals would figure a way to resolve this issue. Hospitals cannot control the amount of people that enter their emergency rooms for treatment, nor can they alter the perception of what is considered
The Direct Impact on Patient Care
Joann Hobbs
Spalding University
Abstract Background. This study was done to determine if prolonged wait times in the emergency department (ED) effect overall care and treatment of patients. Methods. This project used questionnaires that were distributed to patients at 6 local emergency rooms, electronic data collected from said facilities, as well as interviews from the nursing staff on duty at the time of distribution of the questionnaires. Data collected was used to determine: 1.) What is general perception\definition of overcrowding, 2.) Average wait times from waiting room to beginning of treatment, 3.) Pt’s impression of care and treatment received, and 4.) Condition of pt’s seen during periods of overcrowding five days out from discharge. Results. This study has not been conducted yet. Conclusion. There is evidence in researching literature on these topics to support that this study should be conducted as there is little to support this topic from a nursing stand point. Keywords. emergency department, overcrowding, throughput, boarding, wait times, patient care.
Introduction Emergency departments (ED) through out the United States see roughly 136 million patients each year, based on data from 2009 (National, 2011). Many of these visits are non-urgent, others are repeat visits for the same problems. Due to these and several other factors the ED’s are becoming overcrowded and the wait times are increasing drastically. On average in 2009, a patient spent a total of four hours and seven minutes in the emergency department (Press, 2009). One would think nowadays, with reimbursement (Medicare and other funding) being based so greatly on patient satisfaction scores that the hospitals would figure a way to resolve this issue. Hospitals cannot control the amount of people that enter their emergency rooms for treatment, nor can they alter the perception of what is considered
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