Distance to an emergency department and perceived wait times influence patients' decision of which ED to visit, according to a study in Academic Emergency Medicine.
Researchers surveyed Canadian patients in six EDs about their choice of a specific ED. Of 634 respondents, 44 percent named distance from the ED as their primary reason for choosing the ED, and 9.3 percent reported perceived wait times as the primary reason. Patients younger than 60 years old and those with a painful complaint tended to choose wait time over distance in their choice of ED, according to the study.
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Researchers surveyed Canadian patients in six EDs about their choice of a specific ED. Of 634 respondents, 44 percent named distance from the ED as their primary reason for choosing the ED, and 9.3 percent reported perceived wait times as the primary reason. Patients younger than 60 years old and those with a painful complaint tended to choose wait time over distance in their choice of ED, according to the study.
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