Relation between emergency department patient volume at time of patient arrival and likelihood of patient to 'wait' for clinical care. A state-wide data linkage analysis from New South Wales, Australia.
Retrospective analysis reveals increased likelihood of patients not waiting for clinical care with rising ED patient volume, indicating implications for care quality.
Key Points
Increased emergency department (ED) patient volume leads to a higher likelihood of patients leaving without waiting for care.
Among 1,673,247 ED presentations, 155,425 patients (9.29%) did not wait, showing significant trends in patient behavior based on volume.
A retrospective analysis of data from New South Wales identified patient volume as a predictor of DNW, adjusted for age and triage category.
These findings highlight the impact of ED overcrowding on patient care quality and the urgent need for resource management.