Factors affecting patient length of stay in the emergency unit: A scoping review

Background: Despite the recommendation that patients should spend no more than six hours in the emergency department, crowding remains a persistent global health challenge. Extended patient wait times in emergency departments pose a barrier to timely medical care delivery. This scoping review aims to identify the variables increasing patients’ length of stay (LOS) in emergency department. Method: This scoping review was conducted by searching PubMed, ScienceDirect, Wiley, Cochrane Library, Global Index Medicus, GARUDA, and Google Scholar, as well as additional secondary searches from 2013 to 2022 and in accordance with the Arksey and O'Malley methodological framework for scoping reviews. Studies were retained if they included primary, qualitative, or quantitative data and reported on patients admitted to the emergency department with their respective LOS. Results: Of the 914 articles reviewed, 23 met the inclusion criteria. The results of the scoping review identified three main categories of contributory factors for LOS in emergency department: patient, diagnostic tests, and organizational factors. Conclusion: The scoping review identified mitigatable factors to decrease LOS in the emergency department. These insights can help hospitals improve emergency department services by reducing the LOS.