Patients' actual emergency department waiting times may differ significantly from their predicted waiting times, according to a study in Emergency Medicine Journal.
Researchers analyzed the wait times of patients at a single ED compared with their predicted waiting times based on a linear regression model. The model assessed several measures, including the waiting times of patients seen immediately before a patient's arrival at the ED.
The mean waiting time was 64.6 minutes. Actual and predicted waiting times had an average difference of 29 minutes.
The authors concluded the linear regression model shows a "considerable" difference between predicted and actual waiting times and raises questions about how this difference affects patient satisfaction.
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Researchers analyzed the wait times of patients at a single ED compared with their predicted waiting times based on a linear regression model. The model assessed several measures, including the waiting times of patients seen immediately before a patient's arrival at the ED.
The mean waiting time was 64.6 minutes. Actual and predicted waiting times had an average difference of 29 minutes.
The authors concluded the linear regression model shows a "considerable" difference between predicted and actual waiting times and raises questions about how this difference affects patient satisfaction.
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