title: Why do patients choose to attend a private emergency department?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Understanding the reasons patients decide to attend a particular acute care service, and their expectations of that service, is important in providing optimal patient care. The present study aimed to determine factors influencing patient decisions to attend a private Australian ED, an issue that has not been previously addressed in the literature.
  
  
  METHODS
  Semi-structured face-to-face interviews with ED patients, purposively sampled to broadly reflect the departmental caseload and casemix. The two primary questions asked were: 'Why did you choose to come to this emergency department?' and 'What are your general expectations of this emergency department visit?'. Interviews were audio recorded, transcribed verbatim, and then analysed using manifest and then latent content analysis techniques.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All patients approached (n = 30) agreed to interview. Four key themes were identified: prior experience of the hospital, convenient location of the hospital, anticipated high-quality care and anticipated short wait times.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients chose to use the private ED because of prior experience, proximity, and an expectation they would be seen promptly and be provided with competent care.
authors.affiliation: Emergency Department, St John of God Murdoch Hospital, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.
authors.forename: Freya M
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Shearer
authors.forename: Paul M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Bailey
authors.forename: Brontie L
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Hicks
authors.forename: Brooke V
authors.initials: BV
authors.lastname: Harvey
authors.forename: Leanne
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Monterosso
authors.forename: Gail
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ross-Adjie
authors.forename: Ian R
authors.initials: IR
authors.lastname: Rogers
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004638:Emergency Treatment / Q000592:standards*; D005260:Female; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006269:Health Facilities, Proprietary / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D057240:Patient Preference / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D036301:Qualitative Research; D011787:Quality of Health Care; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014850:Waiting Lists; D014904:Western Australia; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: patient choice; patient expectation; private emergency department