SOUTH BEND, Ind., June 27 /PRNewswire/ -- Average time spent in the emergency room (ER) is up with significant variations by state. Overall patient satisfaction, however, continues to rise as well, while communication remains the biggest patient priority according to the 2007 Emergency Department Pulse Report: Patient Perspectives on American Health Care. Press Ganey Associates, Inc., the health care industry's leading provider of measurement and improvement services, issued the comprehensive report today.
The report examines the experiences of more than 1.5 million patients treated in the ER of more than 1,500 acute care hospitals across the country in 2006. Key findings in the report include:
-- The average ER patient experience lasts four hours, up 18 minutes from
last year. In fact, the time spent in the ER increased for all states,
except Hawaii.
-- The average time spent in the ER increases by 30 minutes for every
additional 10,000 patients seen annually.
-- Notable state-by-state variations in the average time a patient spends
in the ER, ranging from a low of 158 minutes to a high of 381 minutes.
-- Patient satisfaction was lowest during the evening shift, 3:00-11:00
p.m., and highest during the daytime, 7:00 AM - 3:00 p.m.
-- Patient satisfaction drops significantly based on amount of time spent
in the ER, from 89.3 for under one hour to 77.7 for more than four
hours.
"This report is the definitive source on the quality of ER care from the perspective of the American patient," said Dr. Melvin Hall, president and chief executive officer of Press Ganey. "With a strong grasp of the existing state of health care quality, health care providers are equipped to push quality improvement to the next level."
The report also ranked the metropolitan areas with a population of 500,000 or more with the highest levels of patient satisfaction about their ER experience.
1. Milwaukee
2. Indianapolis
3. Columbus
4. Oklahoma City
5. New Orleans
6. Detroit
7. Nashville
8. Cleveland
9. Kansas City
10. Chicago
"These cities represent some of the most competitive health care markets in the country and their exemplary focus on the patient's experience is setting a new standard for excellence," said Hall. "Hospitals are continuing to distinguish their emergency rooms by reviewing the entire patient experience and by seeing patients as an integral part of their own health care."
A copy of Press Ganey's 2007 Emergency Department Pulse Report: Patient Perspectives on American Health Care report is available at http://www.pressganey.com/ER-report.pdf and upon request.
Press Ganey Associates, Inc.
For more than twenty years, Press Ganey has been committed to providing insight that allows health care organizations to improve the quality of care they provide. The company offers the largest comparative customer feedback databases, actionable data, solution resources, and unparalleled customer service. Press Ganey currently partners with more than 7,000 health care facilities -- including nearly 40% of U.S. hospitals -- to measure and improve the quality of their care.
Press Ganey Associates, Inc.
CONTACT: Matt Mulherin of Press Ganey Associates, Inc., +1-574-234-8493,
mmulherin@pressganey.com
Web site: http://www.pressganey.com/
