Demographic, Operational, and Healthcare Utilization Factors Associated with Emergency Department Patient...

Area of Science:

• Health Services Research
• Patient Experience
• Emergency Medicine

Background:

• Patient satisfaction is a key metric for emergency department (ED) quality.
• Identifying factors influencing satisfaction is crucial for targeted improvement strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine which patient demographics, ED operational characteristics, and healthcare utilization factors correlate with patient satisfaction.
• To inform the development of interventions aimed at enhancing patient satisfaction in the ED.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective, observational analysis of 20,940 patients discharged from an ED.
• Data collected via third-party phone surveys linked to electronic medical records.
• Univariate and multivariate logistic regression models used to identify predictors of satisfaction.

Main Results:

• Higher satisfaction associated with Non-Hispanic Black and Hispanic race/ethnicity, age ≥65, Medicare insurance, arrival by bus/foot, and receiving ED medication.
• Lower satisfaction linked to perceived lack of medical improvement, behavioral health treatment area, and longer wait times.

Conclusions:

• Specific patient demographics and ED experiences significantly impact satisfaction.
• Findings support targeted interventions to improve patient satisfaction in emergency departments.