Impact of Publishing Emergency Department Wait Times
Author Information
Author(s): Xie Bin, Youash Sabrina
Primary Institution: University of Western Ontario
Hypothesis
Does publishing wait time information lead to more patients choosing the emergency department with shorter wait times?
Conclusion
Publishing emergency department wait time information led to a decrease in lengthy wait times, although average wait times slightly increased.
Supporting Evidence
- Rates of wait times exceeding 4 hours decreased after the publication of wait time information.
- The likelihood of selecting the site with shorter wait time increased after the publication.
- Average wait times slightly increased but did not achieve statistical significance.
Takeaway
When people know how long they'll wait at different emergency rooms, they tend to choose the one with the shorter wait, which helps reduce long waits overall.
Methodology
Descriptive statistics and multivariate logistical regression were used to analyze wait times and patient choices before and after publishing wait time information.
Potential Biases
Potential biases could arise from unmeasured confounding factors affecting patient choices.
Limitations
The study lacked randomization and a control community, making it difficult to definitively attribute changes in patient behavior to the publication of wait time information.
Participant Demographics
Patients aged 19 and above who self-arrived at the ED, excluding those with high triage levels or residing more than 50 km away.
Statistical Information
P-Value
0.01
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
Want to read the original?
Access the complete publication on the publisher's website