title: Measuring and Analyzing Waiting Time Indicators of Patients' Admitted in Emergency Department: A Case Study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Measuring and analyzing of provided services times in Emergency Department is the way to improves quality of hospital services. The present study was conducted with aim measuring and analyzing patients waiting time indicators in Emergency Department in a general hospital in Iran.
  
  
  METHODS
  This cross-sectional, observational study was conducted during April to September 2012. The study population consisted of 72 patients admitted to the Emergency Department at Baharlo hospital. Data collection was carried out by workflow forms. Data were analyzed by t. test and ANOVA.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The average waiting time for patients from admission to enter the triage 5 minutes, the average time from triage to physician visit 6 minute and the average time between examinations to leave ED was estimated 180 minutes. The total waiting time in the emergency department was estimated at about 210 minutes. The significant correlation between marital status of patients (P=0.03), way of arrive to ED (P=0.02) and type of shift work (P=0.01) with studied time indicators were observed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  According to results and comparing with similar studies, the average waiting time of patients admitted to the studied hospital is appropriate. Factors such as: Utilizing clinical governance system and attendance of resident Emergency Medicine Specialist have performed an important role in reducing of waiting times in ED.
authors.affiliation: PhD Student in Health Services Management, School of Management and Medical Information Science, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. s_amina4@yahoo.co.uk.
authors.forename: Saeed
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Amina
authors.forename: Ahmad
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Barrati
authors.forename: Jamil
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sadeghifar
authors.forename: Marzeyh
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sharifi
authors.forename: Zahra
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Toulideh
authors.forename: Hasan Abolghasem
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Gorji
authors.forename: Negar
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Feazbakhsh
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000458:organization & administration*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007492:Iran; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013996:Time and Motion Studies; D014218:Triage; D014850:Waiting Lists; D016526:Workload