Assessing Potential Benefit of a Paediatric Short Stay Unit at a Secondary Hospital in Western Australia

Abstract

Short stay units have been found to decrease congestion in emergency departments (ED), particularly in paediatric demographics, as they offer earlier specialist care and reduced hospital admissions. This study aimed to investigate the potential benefits of a paediatric short stay unit at a secondary metropolitan hospital in Western Australia. A retrospective analysis was conducted on all ED admissions to the paediatric ward in 2022 (N = 938). Most patients (76%) remained in ED for greater than 4-hours, indicating significant congestion. Over half (53%) of patients would have qualified for admission to a short stay unit. Daytime admissions exhibited longer stays than overnight admissions ( P  = .047), and patients were cleared for discharge on average 2.1-hours before actual discharge time, indicating room for optimisation. This study suggests that a paediatric short stay unit would assist in alleviating ED congestion and improving patient flow in this hospital. Future research should focus on validating these benefits post-implementation.