RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE DURATION OF THE EXAMINATION IN THE EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT AND SOME CHARACTERISTICS OF THE PATIENTS

Abstract

Length of stay is perceived as an important indicator of quality of care in Emergency Departments. The increased length of stay in the provision of emergency medical care can contribute to systemic problems in the provision of efficient and high-quality medical care. The aim of the present study was to investigate the relationship between the duration of the examination in the emergency department and some characteristics of the patients. Material and Methods: A retrospective study of patients admitted to the Emergency Department of St. Marina University Hospital – Varna, Bulgaria, over a 5-year period was conducted. Data were collected from the hospital information system. Results: 272,390 patients who passed through the emergency department were examined. The increase in the flow of patients from other areas is, on average 3.07 times. The majority of patients are adults from other areas who are self-directed. The average duration of the visit was 45.7 minutes.The average duration of visits increases in the morning and then decreases until midnight, when we observe an approximately 30-minute jump in the average duration. There was a significant difference in the average duration of the visit to the emergency department according to the days of the week, ethnicity, age and sex of the patients, as well as according to the reason for the visit. Conclusion: Our results show that the average duration of the visit varies considerably according to the time of admission and the day of the week, the volume of patient care, the characteristics of the patient and the characteristics of the hospital. The length of stay correlates directly with the patient's age, severity of sex, gender and ethnicity.