| dc.description.abstract | Background: The time patients have to wait from the moment they arrive at a health
facility to the time they see a doctor has a critical impact on morbidity and mortality
especially for patients with medical emergencies.
Objectives: To determine the patient waiting time from arrival to medical
management, the 48-hour outcome and the association between waiting time and 48-
hour outcome amongst patients presenting with medical emergencies at Mulago
Hospital Accident and Emergency unit (A&E unit).
Methodology: This was a prospective cohort study conducted between August and
October 2015 in the A&E unit of Mulago Hospital in Kampala, Uganda. 305 patients
with medical emergencies were followed through the medical side of the A&E unit,
with the study team recording their time of arrival, time seen by a doctor and time
treatment was given; their final outcome in terms of admission status and mortality
were also noted.
Data Analysis: Descriptive statistics were summarized using medians and
interquartile ranges; this was followed by univariate analysis and then multivariate
analysis for selected variables. All data analysis was done using STATA®.
Results: The median waiting time was 68 min (IQR: 22-140) with a 48-hour
mortality of 8.9% (27/305). Waiting time was longest in the most acutely ill triage
category (Red) at 91.5 min (IQR 20-139). Muslim patients had a shorter waiting time
than other religions (56 min, IQR 12-123). There was no association between delay
and mortality.
Conclusion: Waiting times in Mulago Hospital are long across all triage categories
but longest for the most critically ill patients. | en_US |
