Longer ED Stays Linked to More Adverse Events
By Chris Kaiser, Cardiology Editor, MedPage Today
Published: June 01, 2011
Published: June 01, 2011
Action points:
Recognize that waiting times in the emergency department are a considerable problem and can cause patients to leave without being seen, as well as resulting in delays in treatment for serious conditions typically requiring admission to the hospital.
Note that this study indicates that there is an association of longer waiting times with subsequent admission to the hospital and increased seven-day mortality in those patients who are discharged to home from the ED or who leave without being seen.