Hallway Patients Reduce Overall Emergency Department Satisfaction

BackgroundPatient satisfaction impacts emergency medicine in multiple ways, including patient−physician rapport, patient compliance with medical recommendations, and individual physician and hospital reimbursement issues.ObjectiveThe objective of this study was to assess the differences, if any, in satisfaction scores among patients treated in regular treatment rooms vs. those treated in hallway treatment areas.MethodsA cross-sectional survey study of conveniently sampled participants from both regular treatment rooms and hallway treatment areas in an urban, adult community teaching emergency department (ED) was performed confidentially, measuring overall satisfaction, as well as satisfaction with regard to treatment location only, medical care only, and their willingness to return to or recommend the ED in the future based on their experience. Each of these four outcomes was measured on a 100-mm visual analog scale.ResultsOverall satisfaction scores were 8 mm lower for those patients treated in hallway treatment areas, and there was a 20-mm difference with regard to location only. After controlling for apparent baseline differences between the groups, a 7.6-mm difference for overall satisfaction remained.ConclusionsDespite differences between patients placed in regular treatment rooms vs. hallway treatment areas, overall satisfaction levels are lower for those patients treated in hallway treatment areas. This difference is likely attributable primarily to their hallway location, and stakeholders should therefore take appropriate steps to address such discrepancies.