Characteristics and outcomes of patients who "did not wait" after attending Perth public hospital emergency departments, 2000-2003

Abstract

Objective: To determine characteristics and outcomes of patients who did not wait to see a doctor in emergency departments (EDs). Design and setting: Population-based outcome study using probabilistically linked ED and Western Australian death records, with ED records from all seven Perth public hospitals that have EDs from 1 July 2000 to 30 June 2003. Main outcome measures: Rates of "did not wait" (DNW) presentations, overall and for individual hospitals; characteristics of DNW patients; mortality rates among DNW patients at 2, 7 and 30 days. Results: DNW rates varied from 2.6% to 6.3% (average, 4.1%) and were generally lower in tertiary teaching hospitals. DNW patients had conditions of lo..