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INTRODUCTION According to one study, (1) 38% of Canadian respondents visited an emergency department (ED) for care during a 2-year period (2002-2004), a third more than respondents from most other [...], Introduction: I sought to determine whether emergency department (ED) volume is associated with differing ED wait times. Methods: I conducted a retrospective analysis of the Emergency Department Reporting System database of the Ontario Ministry of Health. I abstracted ED length of stay for patient visits to 117 hospital EDs during the second quarter of 2008, representing 89% of ED visits in the province during that period. Annual volume of ED visits, lengths of stay in the ED and acuity levels of patients were measured. Results: All EDs were more efficient in managing the treatment of low-acuity patients compared with high-acuity patients. Small rural EDs in Ontario had the shortest wait times for both high- and low-acuity patients (medians 2.35 h for high-acuity and 1.46 h for low-acuity patients in small rural EDs v. 4.98 h for high-acuity and 2.85 h for low-acuity patients in teaching hospitals). Conclusion: Among the hospitals studied, rural EDs had the shortest wait times for both low- and high-acuity patients. Introduction : J'ai cherche a determiner s'il y a un lien entre le volume de patients recus a l'urgence et la variabilite des temps d'attente. Methodes : J'ai procede a une analyse retrospective de la base de donnees du Systeme de production de rapports sur les services d'urgence du ministere de la Sante de l'Ontario. J'ai resume la duree du sejour a l'urgence pour les patients qui se sont presentes a l'urgence de 117 hopitaux au cours du deuxieme trimestre de 2008, ce qui representait 89 % des visites a l'urgence enregistrees dans la province au cours de la periode en cause. Le volume annuel des visites a l'urgence, la duree du sejour a l'urgence et la gravite des cas ont ete mesures. Resultats : Les urgences ont reussi a gerer avec plus d'efficacite le traitement des patients dont le cas etait moins grave que ceux dont le cas etait plus lourd. Les petites urgences rurales de l'Ontario affichaient les temps d'attente les plus courts a la fois pour les patients dont le cas etait lourd et pour ceux dont le cas etait leger (mediane de 2,35 h pour les cas lourds et de 1,46 h pour les cas legers dans les petites urgences rurales c. 4,98 h pour les cas lourds et 2,85 h pour les cas legers dans les hopitaux universitaires). Conclusion : Parmi les hopitaux etudies, les urgences rurales affichaient les temps d'attente les plus courts a la fois pour les cas legers et les cas lourds.

The recent Healthcare Commission report into care at Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust enabled the media and others to blame government targets for many of the hospital's problems. The report [...]

THE NUMBER of people in England who have spent more than four hours waiting for emergency treatment has almost doubled in the past year, government figures show. Between April and [...]

The publication of best practice guidance on the use of the new clinical quality indicators is the latest move by ministers to improve emergency care in England. For practitioners, the [...]

The four-hour emergency department waiting target in Scotland should be relaxed so that vulnerable patients or those with complex needs can be cared for properly, according to the RCN. RCN [...]

Leading emergency nurses are this month to consider lobbying ministers for a reduction in the current waiting time target of 98 per cent. The issue is due to be raised [...]

Up to one in six patients who now attend A&E will be excluded from four-hour wait assessments under guidance to be published by the Department of Health this summer. The [...]