Minimizing wait time for patients with mental health issues at an Emergency Department: An Australian experience

Abstract

INTRODUCTION & OBJECTIVES: Efforts have been made globally to re-structure care of patients with mental illnesses by shifting resources from institutionalized care towards the community. However, number of people at a given time with mental illnesses and lack of resources have placed heavy constraints on community psychiatry services resulting in patients with mental illnesses overcrowding at Emergency Departments (EDS). EDS across Victoria appear to struggle in order to deal with them. The Psychiatric Assessment and Planning unit (PAPU) at Maroondah Hospital, Victoria was established with one of its aims being the reduction of overcrowding and waiting time at its emergency department. METHODS; An audit was carried out based on the electronic medical records system and data was extracted regarding the total number of presentations with mental health needs, total number of admissions to PAPU and to see those admitted to PAPU meet the state-established performance goals during the financial year of 2017. RESULTS: Out of the 5636 patients who had presented to ED with mental health issues, 435 met criteria for PAPU and 304 (69.9%) had been assessed within 4 hours of them presenting to the ED. 228(75%) of had occurred between 0830 am and 5 pm. CONCLUSION: preliminary data show that PAPU appears to considerably lower the waiting time at the Maroondah