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Advertising emergency department wait times
1Tufts University School of Medicine, Department of Emergency Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts.
The Western Journal of Emergency Medicine
|April 20, 2013
Summary
Advertising emergency department (ED) wait times is a marketing strategy with potential public health risks. The practice may lead to inaccurate information and misdirect patients, warranting caution due to limited evidence.
Area of Science:
- Health Services Research
- Public Health Policy
- Emergency Medicine
Background:
- Advertising emergency department (ED) wait times is increasingly common in the US.
- Proponents view it as a marketing tool to attract patients.
- Opponents raise concerns about public health implications and patient self-triaging.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the potential risks and benefits of advertising ED wait times.
- To highlight the pitfalls associated with this practice through case examples.
- To advise on the cautious use of ED wait time advertising.
Main Methods:
- Review of the practice of advertising ED wait times.
- Discussion of three sample cases illustrating potential negative outcomes.
- Analysis of concerns regarding accuracy, definition standardization, and patient diversion.
Main Results:
- Advertising ED wait times may pose risks to public health.
- Potential for inaccurate reporting and lack of standardized definitions.
- Risk of diverting lower-acuity patients from primary care to higher-cost ED settings.
Conclusions:
- The practice of advertising ED wait times lacks rigorous supporting evidence.
- Potential adverse effects on public health necessitate caution.
- Further research is needed to understand the full impact of this marketing strategy.
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