Holiday fast-track reduced medical cost and length of emergency department stay: Preliminary report from a single secondary care hospital

Introduction: The aims of this study were to compare the effect of a Holiday Fast-Track (HFT) unit on medical costs and emergency department (ED) length of stay (LOS) associated with low acuity patients attended during the same timeframe in two consecutive years in a single secondary care hospital E...

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Published in:Hong Kong journal of emergency medicine 2015-03, Vol.22 (2), p.84-92
Main Authors: Lee, Nk, Ahn, Yr, Kim, Yh, Lee, Jh, Cho, Kw, Hwang, SY, Shin, Ty, Ha, Yr, Kim, Ys, Hong, Ck
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Emergency medicine
Health care costs
Hospital utilization
Length of stay
Medical care
Medical care, Cost of
organisational efficiency
outcome and process assessment
Quality control
time factor
Triage (Medicine)
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Summary:Introduction: The aims of this study were to compare the effect of a Holiday Fast-Track (HFT) unit on medical costs and emergency department (ED) length of stay (LOS) associated with low acuity patients attended during the same timeframe in two consecutive years in a single secondary care hospital ED. Methods: Two groups (non-HFT vs. HFT), before and after the fast-track unit was implemented, were compared. The HFT unit was operated to improve the flow of low acuity patients, which were defined as the patients classified as level 4 or 5 by the modified Canadian Triage and Acuity Scale. Data were collected from March 1 to April 30, 2011 for the non-HFT group and during the same period in 2012 for the HFT group. Results: A total of 894 (431 for non-HFT period and 463 for HFT period) patients of acuity level 4 or 5 visited the ED during the study period. Compared to the non-HFT group, the ED LOS of the HFT group decreased by 27 min and 3.5 min in the patients with acuity levels 4 and 5, respectively (p=0.005 and p=0.003, respectively). Furthermore, total medical costs and laboratory fees were also reduced significantly in the HFT group (p
ISSN:1024-9079
2309-5407
DOI:10.1177/102490791502200202