Emergency medicine Australasia : EMA
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Emerg Med Australas · Jun 2016
Trends and characteristics of short-term and frequent representations to emergency departments: A population-based study from New South Wales, Australia.
The objective of this study is to describe the trends and characteristics of short-term and frequent representations to EDs in New South Wales, Australia. ⋯ In this population-based study, short-term representations were highest in the infant patient population, in-patient readmission rates were highest in the elderly and very frequent representations to ED were characterised by middle-aged patients with mental health or drug and alcohol related presentations.
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Emerg Med Australas · Jun 2016
Emergency department 'undercrowding' is associated with decreased waiting times.
To evaluate the effect of a sudden and sustained decrease in patient presentations on waiting times and other measures of workload and flow following the opening of a large, greenfields ED adjacent to our own. ⋯ Patient presentation numbers are strongly associated with and likely impact on median waiting time. Understanding that controlling demand can lead to significant benefits in patient processing, flow and overall patient perceived level of care and satisfaction is relevant to any discussion on ED overcrowding and the deleterious effects of access block.