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Updated: May 26, 2026
06:59
A Novel Approach for the Administration of Medications and Fluids in Emergency Scenarios and Settings
Published on: November 9, 2016
Patient preference for emergency care: can and should it be changed?
Derek DeLia1, Joel C Cantor, Susan Brownlee
1Rutgers Center for State Health Policy, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA. ddelia@ifh.rutgers.edu
Medical Care Research and Review : MCRR
|December 29, 2011
Summary
Most emergency department (ED) visits are for perceived urgent conditions, but care-seeking times vary widely. Patient health and ED wait times influence return visits, questioning the optimal strategy for ED diversion.
Area of Science:
- Health Services Research
- Public Health
- Emergency Medicine
Background:
- Emergency departments (EDs) often face overcrowding.
- Understanding patient care-seeking behavior is crucial for optimizing ED resource allocation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the factors influencing care-seeking behavior in the emergency department (ED).
- To identify correlates of ED use that could inform diversion strategies.
- To explore patient perspectives on ED return visits based on waiting times.
Main Methods:
- A statewide survey was conducted to gather data on patient care-seeking behavior.
- Analysis focused on reasons for ED visits, time to seek care, and patient satisfaction with past visits.
- Statistical methods were used to identify relationships between patient characteristics, perceived urgency, and ED utilization.
Main Results:
- The majority of patients (69.3%) visited the ED for conditions perceived as urgent.
- Time to seek ED care varied significantly (immediately to over 1 week) and weakly correlated with perceived urgency.
- Healthier individuals sought ED care more rapidly than sicker patients.
- While 80.4% would revisit the same ED, satisfaction decreased significantly with longer waiting times.
Conclusions:
- Patient perception of urgency is a primary driver for ED visits.
- ED waiting times significantly impact patient loyalty and future care-seeking decisions.
- While ED diversion strategies are suggested, their overall optimality requires further consideration from patient and health system viewpoints.
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