Emergency department lengths of stay: characteristics favouring a delay to the admission decision as distinct from a delay while awaiting an inpatient bed

Abstract

Outside of working hours, patients presenting to ED have longer triage-to-admit times while patients for admission have shorter boarding times. ED congestion delays admission decisions only slightly and prolongs patients' boarding times to a greater extent. Strategies to reduce the time patients spend in ED should differ depending on whether a decision to admit the patient has been reached.