Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39149637›Full record

ArticleCureus2024

Factors Affecting Length of Stays in the Emergency Department of a Teaching Hospital: A Retrospective Study From Najran, Saudi Arabia.

Ahmed M Badheeb, Mohammed A Almutairi, Abbas H Almakrami, Abdelaziz A Aman, Ali Dhafer Al-Swedan, Khalil Alrajjal, Islam A Seada, Abdullah Abu Bakar, Samer Alkarak, Faisal Ahmed and 5 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Cureus, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Review
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

15 authors.

Ahmed M BadheebOncology, King Khalid Hospital-Oncology Center, Najran, SAU.
Mohammed A AlmutairiInternal Medicine, King Khalid Hospital, Najran, SAU.
Abbas H AlmakramiEndocrinology, King Khalid Hospital, Najran, SAU.
Abdelaziz A AmanInternal Medicine/Endocrine and Diabetes, King Khalid Hospital, Najran, SAU.
Ali Dhafer Al-SwedanInfectious Disease, King Khalid Hospital, Najran, SAU.
Khalil AlrajjalInternal Medicine, King Khalid Hospital, Najran, SAU.
Islam A SeadaCardiothoracic Surgery, King Khalid Hospital, Najran, SAU.
Abdullah Abu BakarOphthalmology, King Khalid Hospital, Najran, SAU.
Samer AlkarakGeneral Surgery, King Khalid Hospital, Najran, SAU.
Faisal AhmedUrology, Ibb University, Ibb, YEM.
Awadalla BabikerQuality and Patient Safety, King Khalid Hospital, Najran, SAU.
Sindhu SusheerQuality and Patient Safety, King Khalid Hospital, Najran, SAU.
Mohamed BadheebInternal Medicine, Yale New Haven Health, Bridgeport Hospital, Bridgeport, USA.
Mofeed AlmutairiInternal Medicine, King Khalid Hospital, Najran, SAU.
Hamoud Y ObiedSurgery, Najran University, Najran, SAU.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundReducing the frequency of emergency department (ED) patient visits for treatment, particularly in urgent instances, is a global healthcare objective. Additionally, a more extended stay in the ED can harm a patient's prognosis during later hospitalization. This study aims to investigate the factors affecting the length of stay in the ED in a teaching hospital.

methodsA retrospective chart review study was done between January 1, 2021, and February 31, 2021, involving 122 adult patients who had delayed ED visits to King Khalid Hospital in Najran, Saudi Arabia. Data on the patient's characteristics, visit time, and the causes for the delay based on the Canadian Triage and Acuity Scale (CTAS) were gathered and analyzed. Factors associated with more than six hours of delay were investigated in a univariate analysis.

resultThe mean age was 52.3 ±13.5 years, and 42 (34.4%) were more than 65 years of age. More than half of the study population were female (n=66; 54.1%). Most delays occurred among CTAS 4 and 5 cases (47.5%), and 22 (18.0%) occurred during holidays. The mean delay time was 6.1 ±1.8 hours. The leading delay causes were multiple consultations with further investigations (37.7%) and conflict between the teams (36.1%). In univariate analysis, ED visiting at holiday time (OR: 0.14; 95% CI: 0.04-0.40, p <0.001) and CTAS 4 and 5 (OR: 2.22; 95% CI: 0.95-5.30, p = 0.003) significantly had more delay. Factors associated with delay in univariate analysis were multiple consultations with further investigations (OR: 2.82; 95% CI: 1.32-6.26, p = 0.013), various assessments in different ED areas with a late arrival of the specialist (OR: 0.43; 95% CI: 0.20-0.91, p = 0.042), and conflict between the teams (OR: 2.50; 95% CI: 1.17-5.54, p = 0.031).

conclusionIn this study, multiple assessments in different ED areas and conflict between the teams were the main factors that caused delays in ED. Implementing a timeframe monitoring system for consultations while emphasizing accelerated decision-making and disposition for patients and understanding teamwork collaboration may reduce patients' length of stay in the ED. Implementing these strategies and evaluating their impact on the length of stay in the ED requires further investigation.

Indexed as

canadian triage and acuity scale delayed admissionemergency departmentlength of staynajransaudi arabia

Identifiers

PMID39149637
PMCPMC11326857

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.