Do new workforce roles reduce waiting times in ED? A difference-in-difference evaluation using hospital...

Area of Science:

• Health Services Research
• Emergency Medicine
• Workforce Development

Background:

• Regional hospitals in Victoria, Australia, face challenges in emergency department (ED) efficiency.
• Pilot programs are crucial for testing innovative healthcare delivery models.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of two new workforce roles on ED performance.
• To assess changes in waiting times, on-target waiting times, and inpatient length of stay.

Main Methods:

• A difference-in-differences analysis was employed.
• Utilized data from the Victorian Emergency Minimum Dataset (VEMD) and Victorian Admitted Episodes Dataset (VAED).
• Analyzed 142,980 ED records and 21,925 inpatient admission records.

Main Results:

• New workforce roles significantly reduced ED waiting times.
• The proportion of patients meeting on-target waiting times increased.
• Positive effects were most pronounced for less urgent triage categories.
• Impact on inpatient length of stay showed mixed results.

Conclusions:

• New workforce roles demonstrate effectiveness in enhancing emergency care efficiency.
• These roles can improve patient flow and reduce waiting times in EDs.
• Further investigation into inpatient length of stay impacts is warranted.