Variations in the use of emergency departments in Alberta's Capital Health region 1998-2000

The objectives of this study were to describe the utilization of emergency departments in the Capital Health region, Alberta, between 1998 and 2000, and temporal variations in emergency department utilization by month, day of week, and time of day in 2000. Between 1998 and 2000, the annual number of visits to emergency departments in the region increased by six percent. The mean length of stay, median length of stay and the number of patients who left without being seen increased by six minutes, eight minutes, and 4,442 patients respectively. Variations in the number of visits, mean and median lengths of stay, and numbers of patients who left without being seen by month, day of week, and time of day were modest except for patients who left without being seen. Service pressures in Capital Health emergency departments continue to exist. Temporal variations in service pressures were small. Causes of emergency department pressures are multiple and interrelated. Therefore, system-wide changes should be considered in addressing emergency department pressures.