Analyzing patient time in the emergency department.

Inefficiency in hospital emergency departments (EDs), reflected by unduly long patient visits, threatens patient care quality and hospital public relations. To assess its situation with regard to this problem, the University Medical Center at the Arizona Health Sciences Center (Tucson) analyzed ED visits according to time spent in triage, in the examination/treatment room, and awaiting discharge. Patient acuity, laboratory and radiology procedures, consultations, and arrangements for inpatient admission were taken into account. Findings led to corrective actions to increase efficiency and laid the groundwork for further studies.