[Length of stay in the hospital emergency department]

We evaluated the overall time spent by patients in the emergency department as well as the time employed in the different steps of emergency care and their relationship to patient's diagnosis. Data from 2421 patients, randomly selected, amongst those who attended hospital's emergency department units between november 22-28th 1990 were collected data in a specially designed form. The mean time required for examination was 13 minutes and this procedure was carried out, in average, 18 minutes after admission. The mean length of stay in emergency area was 127 minutes with a significant increase in those cases rated as "true" emergencies.