ER wait time clocks????

[bonestAx]

I have noticed at several hospitals that they have these clocks that are external or even on billboards around town that say ER Wait time 10, 20, etc mins.

Does anyone work at one of these ER's?

What exactly is the time counting? registration, Triage, time to room, time to nurse, time to doc?

Have these clocks changed how you have to do anything?

Do you get complaints if people wait longer than the clock says?

[RN58186]

Wait times for all ER's and urgent care centres in my city are online. The time is from triage to seeing the doctor. I haven't heard any feedback on it yet. It really has only been up and running for a couple of weeks. But it isn't about marketing your hospital here - under Canadian public health care the hospitals aren't out to make a profit for someone. The website lists the waiting time, but also states in life threatening emergencies to proceed to the nearest ER. The website also explains that it is not first come first served. If it works well here it will be expanded across the province.

[dthfytr, ADN, LPN, RN, EMT-B, EMT-I]

One hospital just started this in El Paso. My thoughts; so now we have the ER competing with primary MD's for appointments. I haven't heard any feedback about it yet, but can't wait to give it a try, since I'm self pay.

That's an important point, self pay. Once a person is on hospital grounds they're entitled to an evaluation in the ER per federal law to rule out immediate danger to life, limb, or fetus. I'm betting if I call with a less than emergent problem, they may steer me to the city county hospital, thus bypassing the law requiring evaluation, because I wasn't on hospital property.

[A&OxNone, MSN, RN]

Speaking of wait times....

Has anyone had any experience yet with the systems where you "call ahead" to "reserve" an appointment time in the ED?

(REALLY this does exist!)

The only one I've seen is a pediatric ER around where I live, and honestly I think its awesome parents don't have to sit for hours with their sick kiddos waiting for a doc.

But for an adult.... eh, I don't think so

[A&OxNone, MSN, RN]

Sometimes it's not the Docs holding things up.

I've seen triage nurses keep people waiting longer than necessary before bringing them back.

Just my opinion here of what I'VE seen.

I can see how that would happen. We don't usually have that problem, because our triage system is a lot different from most places, due to the fact that we try to keep our wait times down. So, if there is a room open, we triage IN the room, to allow the doc to get in there sooner.

Once all of them are full, we triage out front and do protocols (blood work, urine, x rays) to reduce the time the patient is in the back to try to get caught up.

Ideally, anyways. Sometimes its hell and sometimes its seamless.

[Altra, BSN, RN]

A marketing gimmick ... nothing more, nothing less.

[Lunah, MSN, RN]

Here is an example: http://www.inova.org/emergency-room-wait-times/

At the bottom, it tells you how the wait times are calculated -- it's from the time of registration to being assigned a provider -- doc, PA, whatever. However, with that being said ... it's an electronic charting/tracking system, and a provider can click on the patient (thus assigning himself/herself) and still take more time than that to go see the patient. But the numbers looks good, don't they? LOL. But seriously, in my experience with that particular system, the docs are really good about getting in to see patients not long after the click.

Oh, and yes ... there is an app for it. We all just rolled our eyes and groaned, because yes, it's clearly all about marketing...

[whichone'spink, BSN, RN]

Speaking of wait times....

Has anyone had any experience yet with the systems where you "call ahead" to "reserve" an appointment time in the ED?

(REALLY this does exist!)

At the ER I work at, some doctors send patients to the ER and evaluate them while their in an ER room. The ER MD doesn't need to do anything.

[MassED, BSN, RN]

Sometimes it's not the Docs holding things up.

I've seen triage nurses keep people waiting longer than necessary before bringing them back.

Just my opinion here of what I'VE seen.

do you work in an ER?

It takes MINUTES to triage a patient, so in all likelihood, it is the actual ordering/disposition by a doctor that truly holds things up.

[MassED, BSN, RN]

Speaking of wait times....

Has anyone had any experience yet with the systems where you "call ahead" to "reserve" an appointment time in the ED?

(REALLY this does exist!)

:smackingf:yeah: LMAO. That'll be the day. I would like someone that works at an ER that offers this to chime in on how effective this is. Our ER is talking about this, but with us barely being able to staff ours, I highly doubt this will EVER happen. Unless they have a seperate doctor, seperate nurse, and their OWN rooms to operate within, it'll never happen.

[MassED, BSN, RN]

One hospital just started this in El Paso. My thoughts; so now we have the ER competing with primary MD's for appointments. I haven't heard any feedback about it yet, but can't wait to give it a try, since I'm self pay.

That's an important point, self pay. Once a person is on hospital grounds they're entitled to an evaluation in the ER per federal law to rule out immediate danger to life, limb, or fetus. I'm betting if I call with a less than emergent problem, they may steer me to the city county hospital, thus bypassing the law requiring evaluation, because I wasn't on hospital property.

but would an insurance company pay for a non-life threatening emergency? During office hours? ??????

Maybe not... I don't know, I'm not one to go to an ER... it WOULD have to be an open fracture, arterial bleed, or LOC... or if I was brought in against my will strapped to a backboard/c-collar....

[MassED, BSN, RN]

At the ER I work at some doctors send patients to the ER and evaluate them while their in an ER room. The ER MD doesn't need to do anything.[/quote']

do you work at University Medical Center in El Paso?? PM me if you do!

[MassED, BSN, RN]

At the ER I work at some doctors send patients to the ER and evaluate them while their in an ER room. The ER MD doesn't need to do anything.[/quote']

I worked at a place that had docs doing that. Then what happens when there isn't a room? How are they billed to see their doc in the ER? How does registration handle that?? That was our issue - not having rooms was the larger issue, so they would just see a patient in a chair....