Significant Reduction of Emergency Department Wait Time Correlates to Improvements in Patient Satisfaction and Yelp Ratings

Abstract

Background
The Emergency Department (ED) is an integral component of community hospitals and provides imperative health care services to the community. However, ED crowding has become a major public health issue that hinders the community from receiving quality emergency care.
Objectives
The purpose of this study is to evaluate the impact of a LEAN-based intervention on ED performance and patient experience.
Methods
The study utilized a six month pre- and post-study design to evaluate the changes in ED throughput measures. Metrics used to measure impact of the study were door to doctor time, Length of Stay (LOS), and percent of patients who left without being seen (% Left Without Being Seen, LWBS). Moreover, the study assessed changes in patient experience using the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) survey to capture the large number of patients who were admitted as well as Yelp star rating and comments.
Results
The hospital observed significant reductions in median LOS from 106- to 77-minutes, door to doctor time from 15- to 10-minutes, and % LWBS rates from 2.78% to 0.10%. Gradual increase was observed in both HCAHPS top box scores and Yelp star ratings.
Conclusion
LEAN thinking facilitates the staff to tailor the interventions to patients’ needs. As healthcare moves into a patient-centered care era, social media and patient satisfaction surveys serve as invaluable platforms to engage patients with the intent of improving ED care.