Waiting time in the emergency department in selected hospitals of Iran University of Medical Sciences in 2007

Provision of prompt medical services is the main purpose of the emergency department. Waiting time for receiving appropriate services is considered as an important indicator for evaluating hospitals. The objective of this study was to determine the average waiting time for receiving treatment and diagnostic services in the emergency department from the point of arrival of the patient up to his exit in Rasool Akram and Firoozabadi hospitals in 2007.

Data was collected using designed questionnaire based on" the time study of emergency services provision form" prepared by the Ministry of Health. The waiting time for receiving medical services was studied for 239 consecutive patients from their arrival up to their discharge in the emergency department of two selected hospitals for a period of one week from 8th to 22nd of December, 2007.

Average length of stay for patients in the emergency department was 283.6 minutes. The average waiting time in Rasool Akram teaching hospital, (346.3 min), was much more than Firoozabadi hospital. Average time spent from patient arrival up to the first visit, (checkup) was 13.1 minutes and the average time spent between first visit and the first treatment step was 105.3 minutes. Furthermore, the average duration between the time the patients were discharged by the physicians till the time of exit from the emergency department was 49.3 minutes.

In order to decrease the waiting time for receiving medical services in emergency department of teaching hospitals and to increase patient satisfaction, reviewing the process of service provision to patients and training of service providers is urgently needed.