Abstract
Background & Rationale: Extended length of stay (LOS) in the emergency department (ED) affects LOS in hospital, increased mortality and increased hospital resource uses. Knowing factors affecting extended ED LOS should lead to improved patient’s quality of care. Methodology: The study design was a retrospective analytical study in ED at Maharaj Nakorn Chiang Mai Hospital between January 2018 to June 2019 by collecting data from the electronic medical records. Data collection included factors expected to extend ED LOS 6 hours and longer by using multivariable logistics regression. Result: A total of 330 patients of whom 165 with ED LOS ≥ 6 hours were eligible. The risk factor for staying 6 hours and longer in the ED was having urine investigation (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 3.43, 95% CI 2.05-5.73, p < 0.01). Moreover, patients in the evening and night shifts observed a shorter ED LOS compared to the day shift (aOR 0.26, 95% CI 0.15-0.47, p < 0.01 and aOR 0.40, 95% CI 0.21-0.77, p < 0.01, respectively). For patient presentation to ED, the refer-in patients had a shorter ED LOS compared to the walk-in patients (aOR 0.33, 95% CI 0.15-0.70, p < 0.01). Conclusion: The factors extending ED LOS ≥ 6 hours included urine investigation process and the day shift. Refer-in patients were likely to have a shortened ED LOS.
