title: Assessment of service delays and impact on bed utilisation in a major teaching hospital.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Increasing economic pressures coupled with an expanding and ageing population and a hostile economic climate have led to growing interest in the optimisation of bed usage within hospitals. There are many causes for delay in a patient's discharge.
  
  
  METHODS
  This prospective observational study assessed consecutive patients admitted and discharged from hospital within a 52-day period for waiting times in the provision of requested diagnostic tests and services.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Seventy patients were included in the study. There were median delays of 2 and 3 days for an MRI and colonoscopy, a delay of 3 days for a Holter monitor report, and 9 days for an occupational therapy referral. The median wait for consults was 1 day across all three services.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Significant remediable delays exist during the course of many acute medical admissions. Addressing these factors will enable the provision of a faster and more cost-efficient service.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Beaumont Hospital, Hepatology Unit, Dublin, Ireland.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Conway
authors.forename: F E
authors.initials: FE
authors.lastname: Murray
mesh_terms: D001071:Appointments and Schedules; D001509:Bed Occupancy / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006296:Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006784:Hospitals, Teaching / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012017:Referral and Consultation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013997:Time Factors