Having patients see a physician or physician's assistant first in the emergency department reduced the rate of leaving without being seen and wait time at a 265-bed community hospital, according to a study in Journal for Healthcare Quality.
Annual ED volume increased 18.6 percent, the monthly average ED visits increased 16 percent, admissions increased 5 percent and ambulance visits increased 18 percent. At the same time, the rate of LWBS decreased 45.2 percent and door-to-physician time decreased by 14 minutes.
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