Factors Affecting the Length of Stay of Patients in Emergency Department Observation Units at Teaching and Research Hospitals in Turkey

Yasin MAHSANLAR; Ismet PARLAK; Sadiye YOLCU; Serhat AKAY; Yoldas DEMIRTAS; Veysi ERYIGIT

doi:10.5505/1304.7361.2014.58224

Yasin MAHSANLAR¹, Ismet PARLAK¹, Sadiye YOLCU², Serhat AKAY¹, Yoldas DEMIRTAS¹, Veysi ERYIGIT¹

¹Department of Emergency Medicine, Bozyaka Training and Research Hospital, İzmir
²Department of Emergency Medicine, Bozok University Faculty of Medicine, Yozgat

Keywords: Emergency service; intensive care unit; monitorized observation unit

Abstract

Objectives

This study aimed to determine the reasons for long stays in monitoring units and to propose a solution.

Methods

The patients who were followed in monitoring units of emergency service and the factors affecting the length of their hospital stay were analyzed retrospectively. Demographic features, their initial complaint that lead to monitoring, diagnosis, their means of arrival to emergency service, their admittance date and hour, medical history, basic vital signs, length of stay in emergency service, invasive interventions, intubation, mortality rates, consultations, and clinical results were evaluated.

Results

The study included 603 patients. Average emergency service stay in monitoring unit was found to be 6.5 hours. In addition, 15 patients (2.5%) stayed 24 hours or longer, and 78 patients (12.9%) stayed 12 to 24 hours. Of the 15 patients who stayed in emergency service for 24 hours or more, 8 (53.3%) stayed because there wasn't enough space in intensive care units. The most prevalent complaint for admission to the emergency service was chest pain (25.5%), followed by dyspnea (21.9%) and tachycardia (11.6%).

Conclusions

For real emergency conditions, monitoring units are necessary to follow patients closely and to perform immediate interventions. The fullness of the intensive care units primarily affects the emergency service and leads to long stays in emergency service as patients are waiting to be admitted to the intensive care unit. As the number of consultations increases, the monitoring period is prolonged.