Parental satisfaction with waiting time in a Swiss tertiary paediatric emergency department

IntroductionPatient numbers in paediatric emergency departments (PED) are steadily increasing. Parental perception of waiting time and reasons for attending a PED with non-emergencies have been investigated in the UK, Australia, Korea, Canada and the USA. We sought to examine which factors influence parental satisfaction with waiting time in a tertiary Swiss PED and whether these differed from other countries.MethodsPaper surveys were administered to parents of children presenting to our interdisciplinary PED from February to May 2015. Primary outcome was parental satisfaction with waiting time, secondary outcomes were satisfaction with treatment, parental reasons for presentation with non-emergencies, parental perception of times to triage, first physician contact and disposition from ED, level of physician training, understanding of various anticrowding strategies and comparison of perceived and true waiting times to triage and physician contact.Results739 out of 750 surveys were returned (57 complete, 298 with 1 or 2 missing answers). Satisfaction with waiting time (on a 5-point-Likert-scale; 1 being the best possible answer) was higher in groups with shorter waiting time until triage (+0.41, p=0.001), first physician contact (+1.43, p<0.001) and discharge (+0.71, p<0.001), higher triage category urgency (+0.47, p=0.044) and available entertainment (+0.82, p<0.001). Early first physician contact (+0.33, p=0.008) and time to discharge less than 4 hours (+0.37, p<0.001) was associated with greater satisfaction with treatment (p<0.05). The most frequent reasons for presentation were parental impression that the child had an emergency (n=265, 35.9%) and referral by the family doctor (n=245, 33.2%).ConclusionTo counteract parental dissatisfaction associated with waiting time, we suggest the implementation of feasible measures including entertainment while waiting, early first medical review and timely discharge from the PED.

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Parental Perception of Waiting Time and its Influence on Parental Satisfaction in an Urban Pediatric Emergency Department: Are Parents Accurate in Determining Waiting Time?

Southern Medical Journal ◽

10.1097/01.smj.0000054911.92771.41 ◽

2003 ◽

Vol 96 (9) ◽

pp. 880-883 ◽

Cited By ~ 15

Author(s):

Muhammad Waseem ◽

Lalitha Ravi ◽

Michael Radeos ◽

Sandhya Ganti

Keyword(s):

Emergency Department ◽

Waiting Time ◽

Pediatric Emergency ◽

Parental Satisfaction ◽

Pediatric Emergency Department ◽

Parental Perception

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Improving Services for Patients with Groin Hernias: Reducing Waiting Times for Surgery

Bulletin of The Royal College of Surgeons of England ◽

10.1308/003588413x13643054410502 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 95 (7) ◽

pp. 232-234

Author(s):

TD Reid ◽

H Al-Momani ◽

J Lloyd-Evans ◽

ZM Saeed ◽

P Plumb ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Inguinal Hernia ◽

Hernia Repair ◽

Inguinal Hernia Repair ◽

Secondary Care ◽

Waiting Times ◽

Family Doctor ◽

Waiting List ◽

Outpatient Department ◽

The Uk ◽

Groin Hernias

Inguinal hernia repair is one of the most common operations performed in the UK, with over 70,000 procedures carried out per year. Consequently, patients with groin hernias place a major demand on the surgical resources of our NHS hospitals. Patients referred to secondary care for a repair are typically first assessed in the outpatient department, where an appropriate pre-assessment is arranged, and then either a date for surgery is allocated or the patient is placed on a waiting list. Moreover, as the priority for many of these steps on this pathway is typically 'routine' rather than 'urgent', the vast majority of patients with groin hernias will experience a considerable wait after seeing their family doctor.

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Self-Reported Waiting Times for Outpatient Health Care Services in Hungary: Results of a Cross-Sectional Survey on a National Representative Sample

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18052213 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (5) ◽

pp. 2213

Author(s):

Óscar Brito Fernandes ◽

Armin Lucevic ◽

Márta Péntek ◽

Dionne Kringos ◽

Niek Klazinga ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Health Status ◽

Waiting Time ◽

Representative Sample ◽

Adult Population ◽

Waiting Times ◽

Family Doctor ◽

System Level ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Doctor's Office

(1) Background: System-level data on waiting time in the outpatient setting in Hungary is scarce. The objective of the study was to explore self-reported waiting time for an appointment and at a doctor’s office. (2) Methods: An online, cross-sectional, self-administered survey was carried out in 2019 in Hungary among a representative sample (n = 1000) of the general adult population. Chi-squared test and logistic regression analysis were carried out to explore if socioeconomic characteristics, health status, or residence were associated with waiting times and the perception of waiting time as a problem. (3) Results: Proportions of 90%, 41%, and 64% of respondents were seen within a week by family doctor, public specialist, and private specialist, respectively. One-third of respondents waited more than a month to get an appointment with a public specialist. Respondents in better health status reported shorter waiting times; those respondents were less likely to perceive a problem with: (1) waiting time to get an appointment (OR = 0.400) and (2) waiting time at a doctor’s office (OR = 0.519). (4) Conclusions: Longest waiting times were reported for public specialist visits, but waiting times were favorable for family doctors and private specialists. Further investigation is needed to better understand potential inequities affecting people in worse health status.

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Have Standardised Referral Forms Reduced the Number of Inappropriate Referrals to Breast Clinic?

Bulletin of The Royal College of Surgeons of England ◽

10.1308/147363512x13189526438954 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 94 (2) ◽

pp. 1-3 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

V Lefemine ◽

G Osborn ◽

AM Mainwaring ◽

S Goyal

Keyword(s):

Breast Cancer ◽

Early Diagnosis ◽

Waiting Time ◽

Waiting Times ◽

Diagnosis And Treatment ◽

Breast Clinic ◽

Department Of Health ◽

National Breast ◽

Specialist Services ◽

The Uk

National breast referral guidelines in the UK were introduced in 1995 to create a framework for appropriate referral of patients to specialist breast clinics. In 1998, in an attempt to improve outcomes for patients with breast cancer, the Department of Health issued a circular entitled Breast Cancer Waiting Times – Achieving the Two Week Target. The aim of the two-week waiting time directive (Table 1) was to provide prompt access to specialist services for patients with suspected breast cancer to facilitate early diagnosis and treatment.

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Radiotherapy waiting times, resources and protocols for breast carcinoma: a survey of UK radiotherapy centres

Journal of Radiotherapy in Practice ◽

10.1017/s1460396903000116 ◽

2003 ◽

Vol 3 (3) ◽

pp. 113-121 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

H. Probst ◽

M. Holmes ◽

D. Dodwell

Keyword(s):

Breast Cancer ◽

Regression Analysis ◽

Clinical Practice ◽

Breast Carcinoma ◽

Waiting Time ◽

Linear Accelerator ◽

Waiting Times ◽

Technical Application ◽

The Uk ◽

Cancer Irradiation

Purpose: Radiation techniques employed for breast cancer must be efficient as well as effective in order to minimise waiting lists. Protocol restrictions, or the technical application of treatment, may influence planning and treatment times as radiographers follow departmental policies. A national survey of UK radiotherapy centres was undertaken to establish trends in waiting times for breast cancer irradiation; and to investigate relationships of waiting times with the deployment of equipment and personnel and technical procedures adopted.Method: A questionnaire was posted to the Head of Radiotherapy Services and a Clinical Oncologist with an interest in breast cancer in the radiotherapy centres in the UK. Survey questions investigated a number of issues, including the number of breast patients planned per week; protocols chosen; average treatment and planning times; levels of personnel and equipment; and the population served.Results: A total of 53 centres were contacted, of which 51 centres responded to some aspect of the survey (96%). Average waiting times for treatment fluctuated from 1 to 7 weeks and maximum waiting times of 11 weeks were reported. Variation in clinical practice was found, including procedure times and the number of radiographers employed per linear accelerator. A multiple regression analysis indicated that a combination of equipment levels, simulation times, and the number of breast contours taken best predicted the average waiting time for breast treatment.Conclusion: Waiting times reported were influenced by a combination of levels of equipment available and protocols adopted.

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An early mainstream economist from Hungary: István Varga (1897–1962)

Acta Oeconomica ◽

10.1556/aoecon.53.2003.2.4 ◽

2003 ◽

Vol 53 (2) ◽

pp. 195-213 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

K. Majoros

Keyword(s):

Austrian Economic ◽

National Income ◽

Anglo Saxon ◽

Turbulent Times ◽

The Usa ◽

New Ideas ◽

Modern Economic ◽

The Uk ◽

Economic Thinking ◽

Lasting Influence

The study introduces a Hungarian economic thinker, István Varga*, whose valuable activity has remained unexplored up to now. He became an economic thinker during the 1920s, in a country that had not long before become independent of Austria. The role played by Austria in the modern economic thinking of that time was a form of competition with the thought adhered to by the UK and the USA. Hungarian economists mainly interpreted and commented on German and Austrian theories, reasons for this being that, for example, the majority of Hungarian economists had studied at German and Austrian universities, while at Hungarian universities principally German and Austrian economic theories were taught. István Varga was familiar not only with contemporary German economics but with the new ideas of Anglo-Saxon economics as well — and he introduced these ideas into Hungarian economic thinking. He lived and worked in turbulent times, and historians have only been able to appreciate his activity in a limited manner. The work of this excellent economist has all but been forgotten, although he was of international stature. After a brief summary of Varga’s profile the study will demonstrate the lasting influence he has had in four areas — namely, business cycle research and national income estimations, the 1946 Hungarian stabilisation program, corporate profit, and consumption economics — and will go on to summarise his most important achievements.

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