Can J Emerg Med
The most recent articles from:
Can J Emerg Med
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Multicenter Study Comparative Study
A comparative study of patient characteristics, opinions, and outcomes, for patients who leave the emergency department before medical assessment.
The emergency department (ED) left-without-being-seen (LWBS) rate is a performance indicator, although there is limited knowledge about why people leave, or whether they seek alternate care. We studied characteristics of ED LWBS patients to determine factors associated with LWBS. ⋯ LWBS patients had similar opinions, experiences, and expectations as control patients. The main reason for LWBS was waiting longer than expected. LWBS patients were more likely to seek further health care, and did so sooner. Patients wait because of concern about their health problem. Shorter wait times and improved communication may reduce the LWBS rate.