ABSTRACT
BACKGROUNDS: The increasing demand for emergency care may cause prolonged Emergency Department length of stay that has an impact on quality of care. In Indonesia, factors influencing Emergency Department length of stay are difficult to determine. The purpose of the study was to identify factors that contributed to length of stay at tertiary hospital Yogyakarta, Indonesia. METHODS: A descriptive study was conducted with a cross-sectional, retrospective design. Participants (n=139) were patients aged 18 years or over who presented to Emergency Department at tertiary hospital, over seven consecutive days. Data were gathered by reviewing patients' notes using modified data collection tool and by measuring the average time in each stage of Emergency Department patient journey. Mann-Whitney and Kruskal-Wallis tests were utilised to analyse data. RESULTS: The median Emergency Department length of stay was 330min. The acuity level, specialist consultation and need for admission were associated with increased Emergency Department length of stay (p<0.05). Laboratory turn around time (median 58min) and waiting for bed availability (median 167min) contributed to prolonged length of stay, for discharged and admitted patients, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: This study assists in understanding factors that most significantly influence Emergency Department length of stay in an Indonesian hospital and will inform policy makers in development of strategic plans to improve Emergency Department patient flow.
