Organizational Factors Contributing to Duplicate Record Data Entry Errors in Emergency Room Fast-Track Admissions

Emergency room (ER) visits in the United States have increased by 15% over the last decade, prompting hospitals to implement fast-track systems to mitigate overcrowding and expedite patient registration. Information is limited regarding the creation of duplicate record data entry errors in a fast-track ER environment and the impact of organizational factors such as work shift and the number of daily admissions.

This correlational, quantitative study analyzed 19 months of admission data from a healthcare system in Alabama to examine associations between organizational factors-such as work shift and ER admission volume-and the incidence of duplicate record data entry errors.

Results from the data analyses showed statistically significant associations between organizational factors and the number of duplicate record data entry errors.

Health information management (HIM) professionals and ER leaders can benefit from knowledge about the impact of organizational factors on duplicate record data entry errors in the fast-track ER environment, so they can modify policies and procedures to improve data quality and patient safety.