Clinton Memorial Hospital emergency services' wait times below national averages
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Anyone who has visited a hospital emergency department knows that waiting is inevitable if one is not in critical condition. For good reason, patients are seen in an order determined by the perceived severity of their ailment.
According to national figures, the average wait time in a hospital emergency department was four hours and seven minutes in 2009, and that’s a few minutes longer than in 2008.
By contrast, the average wait time for Clinton Memorial Hospital Emergency Services patients is under two hours. “Of course, patients are often seen much quicker than that,” says Diana Storer, manager of the department, which treats more than 30,000 patients each year. “Longer wait times occur when we are dealing with patients with severe medical conditions, when our walk-in volumes are higher and sometimes coupled with multiple life squads on site.”
Important to note, Storer emphasizes, is that emergency patients are treated promptly once they are seen by the medical staff. An average length of stay for an emergency patient is about 2.5 hours.
Sue, a Port William resident, was in and out in three hours on a visit last month that required a diagnosis, an x-ray, and blood tests. “I was treated very, very nicely by everyone,” Sue said. “Dr. Matt Patel was on duty, and had a student from UC Medical School with him. They concluded that I had shingles, and since they could not reach my physician, they went ahead and did an x-ray and blood tests before doing anything further. Their diagnosis was correct, Dr. Patel prescribed a course of treatment, and I was able to leave by midnight.
“Needless to say, I am very pleased with the care and attention that I was given.”
Clinton Memorial Hospital operates a very efficient emergency department and prides itself in the personal attention its staff provides. Of course, it is impossible to predict the number of patients who will need its services at any time. In instances of high volume and/or serious cases, a wait is to be expected, Storer said.
“Like hospitals across the country, we are seeing our waiting times lengthen a bit, although ours is far below the national average,” Storer explained. “A contributing factor to increased wait times is that we are seeing more patients with serious conditions requiring more medical attention and more time.”
Storer said that the department is investigating ways to improve communications with people in the waiting room, including increased use of volunteers. Studies have shown that, when emergency department staffers keep patients updated about their place in the queue, and assure them that they have not been overlooked, those patients tend to be very satisfied with their experience.[[In-content Ad]]
According to national figures, the average wait time in a hospital emergency department was four hours and seven minutes in 2009, and that’s a few minutes longer than in 2008.
By contrast, the average wait time for Clinton Memorial Hospital Emergency Services patients is under two hours. “Of course, patients are often seen much quicker than that,” says Diana Storer, manager of the department, which treats more than 30,000 patients each year. “Longer wait times occur when we are dealing with patients with severe medical conditions, when our walk-in volumes are higher and sometimes coupled with multiple life squads on site.”
Important to note, Storer emphasizes, is that emergency patients are treated promptly once they are seen by the medical staff. An average length of stay for an emergency patient is about 2.5 hours.
Sue, a Port William resident, was in and out in three hours on a visit last month that required a diagnosis, an x-ray, and blood tests. “I was treated very, very nicely by everyone,” Sue said. “Dr. Matt Patel was on duty, and had a student from UC Medical School with him. They concluded that I had shingles, and since they could not reach my physician, they went ahead and did an x-ray and blood tests before doing anything further. Their diagnosis was correct, Dr. Patel prescribed a course of treatment, and I was able to leave by midnight.
“Needless to say, I am very pleased with the care and attention that I was given.”
Clinton Memorial Hospital operates a very efficient emergency department and prides itself in the personal attention its staff provides. Of course, it is impossible to predict the number of patients who will need its services at any time. In instances of high volume and/or serious cases, a wait is to be expected, Storer said.
“Like hospitals across the country, we are seeing our waiting times lengthen a bit, although ours is far below the national average,” Storer explained. “A contributing factor to increased wait times is that we are seeing more patients with serious conditions requiring more medical attention and more time.”
Storer said that the department is investigating ways to improve communications with people in the waiting room, including increased use of volunteers. Studies have shown that, when emergency department staffers keep patients updated about their place in the queue, and assure them that they have not been overlooked, those patients tend to be very satisfied with their experience.[[In-content Ad]]