Comparing the patients' throughput in an Emergency Department in Tabriz city with International Standards

Abstract

Introduction: Emergency department (ED) patients'throughput includes all the processes that patients go through; this study was designed to investigate the patients throughput and the duration of stay in this department.Methods: In a prospective cross-sectional study, we evaluated the association between workflow process and admission duration in emergency department of Sina hospital of Tabriz from March 20th to July 20th 2011.Result: We studied 800 randomly selected patients referred to the emergency department between 20th March and 20th July 2011. The mean time duration between first visit and disposition was 64.94± 64.7 min (mode= 24min). The most prevalent chief complaint was common cold in which was presented in 448 patientsDiscussion: In the management of emergency department, all of parts must work as a member of team and if one of these members has a problem and does not work properly then pass-through will be happen.

Keywords

• emergency department, throughput, standards

References

1. ACEP Crowding Resources Task Force. Responding to Emergency Department Crowding: A Guidebook for Chapters. American College of Emergency Physicians; 2002.
2. Knickman JR, Lipkin M Jr, Finkler SA, Thompson WG, Kiel J. The potential for using non-physicians to compensate for the reduced availability of residents. Acad Med 1992;67:429-38.
3. Sylvester R. NHS faces another bleak winter, says Millburn. The Daily Telegraph 2000; Nov 4.
4. Gibbs N. "Do you want to die?" The crisis in emergency care is taking its toll on doctors, nurses-and patients. Time 1990;135:58-60, 62-5.
5. Doherty L. Crowded hospitals diverting patients. The Syndney Morning Herald 1998; Mar 11.
6. Derlet R, Richards J, Kravitz R. Frequent overcrowding in U.S. emergency departments. AcadEmerg Med 2001;8:151-5.
7. Andrulis DP, Kellermann A, Hintz EA, Hackman BB, Weslowski VB. Emergency departments and crowding in United States teaching hospitals. Ann Emerg Med 1991;20:980-6.
8. McCabe JB. Emergency department overcrowding: a national crisis. Acad Med 2001;76:672-4.

9. Henry M. Overcrowding in America's emergency departments: inpatient wards replace emergency care. AcadEmerg Med 2001;8:188-9.
10. Kellermann AL. Déjà vu. Ann Emerg Med 2000;35:83-5.
11. Partovi et al. Faculty triage shortens emergency department length of stay. AcadEmerg Med. 2001; 8(10): 990-995.
12. Amiri H, Shamsvahdati S, Ghodrati N,Taghizadieh A,Mahmoodivar S,Foroughi M,Nehzati A. The Length of Waiting for First Visit and Disposition in Emergency Department in Tabriz Imam Reza Hospital. Turk J Emerg Med 2008;8(4):160-163
13. Emergency Department Management: principles and application/ Editor- in-chief, Richard F Salluzzo et al. Mosby-year book; Inc. 1997; 21: 201-205.
14. Strauss and Mayer’s Emergency Department Management. Robert W. Strauss and Thom A. Mayer, 2013, MC Graw Hill.
15. Miró O, Antonio MT, Jiménez S, De Dios A, Sánchez M, Borrás A, et al. Decreased health care quality associated with emergency department overcrowding. Eur J Emerg Med 1999;6:105-7.
16. Lynn SG, Kellermann AL. Critical decision making: managing the emergency department in an overcrowded hospital. Ann Emerg Med 1991;20:287-92.
17. Schull MJ, Slaughter PM, Redelmeier DA. Urban emergency department overcrowding: defining the problem and eliminating misconceptions. CJEM 2002;4:76-83.
18. Gorelick MH, Yun HJ. The effect of in-room registration on emergency department length of stay. Ann Emerg Med. 2005; 45: 128-133.
19. Emergency Department Management: principles and application/ Editor- in-chief, Richard F Salluzzo et al. Mosby-year book; Inc. 1997; 31: 256-258.
20. DeBehnke D, O'Brien S, Leschke R. Emergency medicine resident work productivity in an academic emergency department. AcadEmerg Med 2000;7:90-2.
21. Salazar A, Corbella X, Onaga H, Ramon R, Pallares R, Escarrabill J. Impact of a resident strike on emergency department quality indicators at an urban teaching hospital. AcadEmerg Med 2001;8:804-8.
22. Gerbeaux P, Ledoray V, Liauthaud H, Torro D, Takun K, Thirree R, et al. Medical student effect on emergency department length of stay. Ann Emerg Med 2001;37:275-8.
23. Chan L, Kass LE. Impact of medical student preceptorship on ED patient throughput time. Am J Emerg Med 1999;17:41-3.
24. Krochmal P, Riley TA. Increased health care costs associated with ED overcrowding. Am J Emerg Med 1994;12:265-6.