Patients Regularly Leave Emergency Departments Before Medical Assessment: A Study of Did Not Wait Patients, Medical Profile and Outcome Characteristics.

Fry, M; Thompson, J; Chan, A

Patients Regularly Leave Emergency Departments Before Medical Assessment: A Study of Did Not Wait Patients, Medical Profile and Outcome Characteristics.

Fry, M

Thompson, J Chan, A

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Publisher:: College of Emergency Nursing Australasia Inc
Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: Australian Emergency Nursing Journal, 2004, 6 (2), pp. 21 - 26
Issue Date:: 2004-01

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Fry, M https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1265-7096	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Thompson, J	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Chan, A	en_US
dc.date.issued	2004-01	en_US
dc.identifier.citation	Australian Emergency Nursing Journal, 2004, 6 (2), pp. 21 - 26	en_US
dc.identifier.issn	1328-2743	en_US
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/12870
dc.description.abstract	In 2001 New South Wales Health reported an increase in the number of patients who did not wait for treatment in emergency departments. Because so little was known about this group of patients a study was conducted to indentify: (1) the characteristics and reasons for patients leaving prior to medical assessment; (2) patients' illnesses or conditions, urgency code and nature of ED encounter; and (3) DNW patient outcomes. A 13 question telephone survey was conducted which focused on the presenting complaint, waiting times, staff communication and patient outcomes. During the three-month study, 64% of eligible patients were contacted. The reasons they gave for leaving were largely because of the time delay in being seen, but some left because their condition resolved or they felt too ill to stay or they received treatment or reassurance from the triage nurse. A small number of patients left because of safety concerns in the waiting room, because they had other commitments or because staff were rude. Some patients left to go to other facilities; almost 70% of patients sought medical attention within 24 hours of leaving the ED. The endemic problem of overcrowding is placing demands on EDs to review and reform service delivery. While the study was conducted in a tertiary referral centre this ED is characteristic of most others across Australia. Outcome analysis of this vulnerable group is required.	en_US
dc.publisher	College of Emergency Nursing Australasia Inc	en_US
dc.relation.ispartof	Australian Emergency Nursing Journal	en_US
dc.subject.classification	Nursing	en_US
dc.title	Patients Regularly Leave Emergency Departments Before Medical Assessment: A Study of Did Not Wait Patients, Medical Profile and Outcome Characteristics.	en_US
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	2	en_US
utslib.citation.volume	6	en_US
utslib.for	1110 Nursing	en_US
utslib.for	1117 Public Health and Health Services	en_US
dc.location.activity	ISI:000255016200009
pubs.embargo.period	Not known	en_US
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Health
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Health/Nursing
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Strength - CHSP - Health Services and Practice
utslib.copyright.status	closed_access
pubs.consider-herdc	false	en_US
pubs.issue	2	en_US
pubs.volume	6	en_US

Abstract:

In 2001 New South Wales Health reported an increase in the number of patients who did not wait for treatment in emergency departments. Because so little was known about this group of patients a study was conducted to indentify: (1) the characteristics and reasons for patients leaving prior to medical assessment; (2) patients' illnesses or conditions, urgency code and nature of ED encounter; and (3) DNW patient outcomes. A 13 question telephone survey was conducted which focused on the presenting complaint, waiting times, staff communication and patient outcomes. During the three-month study, 64% of eligible patients were contacted. The reasons they gave for leaving were largely because of the time delay in being seen, but some left because their condition resolved or they felt too ill to stay or they received treatment or reassurance from the triage nurse. A small number of patients left because of safety concerns in the waiting room, because they had other commitments or because staff were rude. Some patients left to go to other facilities; almost 70% of patients sought medical attention within 24 hours of leaving the ED. The endemic problem of overcrowding is placing demands on EDs to review and reform service delivery. While the study was conducted in a tertiary referral centre this ED is characteristic of most others across Australia. Outcome analysis of this vulnerable group is required.

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http://hdl.handle.net/10453/12870