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Original Article
Effect of emergency department fast track on emergency department length of stay: a case–control study
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  1. J Considine1,
  2. M Kropman2,
  3. E Kelly2,
  4. C Winter2
  1. 1
    Deakin University, Northern Health Clinical Partnership, Victoria, Australia
  2. 2
    Emergency Department, the Northern Hospital, Northern Health, Victoria, Australia
  1. Dr J Considine, Deakin University, Northern Health Clinical Partnership, Burwood, Victoria 3125, Australia; julie.considine{at}deakin.edu.au

Abstract

Objective: To examine the effect of fast track on emergency department (ED) length of stay (LOS).

Design and setting: Pair-matched case–control design in a public teaching hospital in metropolitan Melbourne, Australia.

Participants: Patients treated by the ED fast track (cases) between 1 January and 31 March 2007 were compared with patients treated by the usual ED processes (controls) from 1 July to 15 November 2006 (n  =  822 matched pairs).

Intervention: ED fast track was established in November 2006 and focused on the management of patients with non-urgent complaints.

Main outcome measures: The primary outcome measure was ED LOS for fast-track patients. Secondary outcomes were waiting times and ED LOS for other ED patients.

Results: Median ED LOS for non-admitted patients was 132 minutes (interquartile range (IQR) 83–205.25) for controls and 116 minutes (IQR 75.5–159.0) for cases (p<0.01). Fast-track patients had a significantly higher incidence of discharge within 2 h (53% vs 44%, p<0.01) and 4 h (92% vs 84%, p<0.01).

Conclusions: ED fast track decreased ED LOS for non-admitted patients without compromising waiting times and ED LOS for other ED patients.

https://doi.org/10.1136/emj.2008.057919

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    Footnotes

    • Funding: This study was generously funded by a 2007 Northern Health small research grant.

    • Competing interests: None.

    • Ethics approval: Approval was obtained from the Human Research and Ethics Committee before undertaking this study.

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