Emergency Department Crowding is Associated with Reduced Satisfaction Scores in Patients Discharged from the Emergency Department
Introduction: Emergency department (ED) crowding has been shown to negatively impact patient outcomes. Few studies have addressed the effect of ED crowding on patient satisfaction. Our objective was to evaluate the impact of ED crowding on patient satisfaction in patients discharged from the ED.Meth...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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eScholarship Publishing, University of California
2013-02-01
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| Series: | Western Journal of Emergency Medicine |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://escholarship.org/uc/item/5ks6092b# |
| _version_ | 1828746614208987136 |
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| author | Tekwani, Karis L Kerem, Yaniv Mistry, Chintan D Sayger, Brian M Kulstad, Erik B |
| author_facet | Tekwani, Karis L Kerem, Yaniv Mistry, Chintan D Sayger, Brian M Kulstad, Erik B |
| author_sort | Tekwani, Karis L |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Introduction: Emergency department (ED) crowding has been shown to negatively impact patient outcomes. Few studies have addressed the effect of ED crowding on patient satisfaction. Our objective was to evaluate the impact of ED crowding on patient satisfaction in patients discharged from the ED.Methods: We measured patient satisfaction using Press-Ganey surveys returned by patients that visited our ED between August 1, 2007 and March 31, 2008. We recorded all mean satisfaction scores and obtained mean ED occupancy rate, mean EDWIN score and hospital diversion status over each 8-hour shift from data archived in our electronic tracking board. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis was calculated to determine the effect of ED crowding and hospital diversion status on the odds of achieving a mean satisfaction score ≥85, which was the patient satisfaction goal set forth by our ED administration.Results: A total of 1591 surveys were returned over the study period. Mean satisfaction score was 77.6 (SD±16) and mean occupancy rate was 1.23 (SD±0.31). The likelihood of failure to meet patient satisfaction goals was associated with an increase in average ED occupancy rate (OR 0.32, 95% CI 0.17 to 0.59, P<0.001) and an increase in EDWIN score (OR 0.05, 95% CI 0.004 to 0.55, P=0.015). Hospital diversion resulted in lower mean satisfaction scores, but this was not statistically significant (OR 0.62, 95% CI 0.36 to 1.05). In multivariable analysis controlling for hospital diversion status and time of shift, ED occupancy rate remained a significant predictor of failure to meet patient satisfaction goals (OR 0.34, 95% CI 0.18 to 0.66, P=0.001).Conclusions: Increased crowding, as measured by ED occupancy rate and EDWIN score, was significantly associated with reduced patient satisfaction. Although causative attribution was limited, our study suggested yet another negative impact resulting from ED crowding. [West J Emerg Med.2013;14(1):11-15.] |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-14T04:27:57Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-f6cd4f08707a4f57b58556ff0949b5df |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1936-900X 1936-9018 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-14T04:27:57Z |
| publishDate | 2013-02-01 |
| publisher | eScholarship Publishing, University of California |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Western Journal of Emergency Medicine |
| spelling | doaj.art-f6cd4f08707a4f57b58556ff0949b5df2022-12-22T02:12:14ZengeScholarship Publishing, University of CaliforniaWestern Journal of Emergency Medicine1936-900X1936-90182013-02-011411115Emergency Department Crowding is Associated with Reduced Satisfaction Scores in Patients Discharged from the Emergency DepartmentTekwani, Karis LKerem, YanivMistry, Chintan DSayger, Brian MKulstad, Erik BIntroduction: Emergency department (ED) crowding has been shown to negatively impact patient outcomes. Few studies have addressed the effect of ED crowding on patient satisfaction. Our objective was to evaluate the impact of ED crowding on patient satisfaction in patients discharged from the ED.Methods: We measured patient satisfaction using Press-Ganey surveys returned by patients that visited our ED between August 1, 2007 and March 31, 2008. We recorded all mean satisfaction scores and obtained mean ED occupancy rate, mean EDWIN score and hospital diversion status over each 8-hour shift from data archived in our electronic tracking board. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis was calculated to determine the effect of ED crowding and hospital diversion status on the odds of achieving a mean satisfaction score ≥85, which was the patient satisfaction goal set forth by our ED administration.Results: A total of 1591 surveys were returned over the study period. Mean satisfaction score was 77.6 (SD±16) and mean occupancy rate was 1.23 (SD±0.31). The likelihood of failure to meet patient satisfaction goals was associated with an increase in average ED occupancy rate (OR 0.32, 95% CI 0.17 to 0.59, P<0.001) and an increase in EDWIN score (OR 0.05, 95% CI 0.004 to 0.55, P=0.015). Hospital diversion resulted in lower mean satisfaction scores, but this was not statistically significant (OR 0.62, 95% CI 0.36 to 1.05). In multivariable analysis controlling for hospital diversion status and time of shift, ED occupancy rate remained a significant predictor of failure to meet patient satisfaction goals (OR 0.34, 95% CI 0.18 to 0.66, P=0.001).Conclusions: Increased crowding, as measured by ED occupancy rate and EDWIN score, was significantly associated with reduced patient satisfaction. Although causative attribution was limited, our study suggested yet another negative impact resulting from ED crowding. [West J Emerg Med.2013;14(1):11-15.]http://escholarship.org/uc/item/5ks6092b#patients satisfactionemergencycrowding |
| spellingShingle | Tekwani, Karis L Kerem, Yaniv Mistry, Chintan D Sayger, Brian M Kulstad, Erik B Emergency Department Crowding is Associated with Reduced Satisfaction Scores in Patients Discharged from the Emergency Department Western Journal of Emergency Medicine patients satisfaction emergency crowding |
| title | Emergency Department Crowding is Associated with Reduced Satisfaction Scores in Patients Discharged from the Emergency Department |
| title_full | Emergency Department Crowding is Associated with Reduced Satisfaction Scores in Patients Discharged from the Emergency Department |
| title_fullStr | Emergency Department Crowding is Associated with Reduced Satisfaction Scores in Patients Discharged from the Emergency Department |
| title_full_unstemmed | Emergency Department Crowding is Associated with Reduced Satisfaction Scores in Patients Discharged from the Emergency Department |
| title_short | Emergency Department Crowding is Associated with Reduced Satisfaction Scores in Patients Discharged from the Emergency Department |
| title_sort | emergency department crowding is associated with reduced satisfaction scores in patients discharged from the emergency department |
| topic | patients satisfaction emergency crowding |
| url | http://escholarship.org/uc/item/5ks6092b# |
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