• J Considine, M Kropman, E Kelly, and C Winter.
• Deakin University, Northern Health Clinical Partnership, Burwood, Victoria 3125, Australia. julie.considine@deakin.edu.au
• Emerg Med J. 2008 Dec 1;25(12):815-9.

ObjectiveTo examine the effect of fast track on emergency department (ED) length of stay (LOS).Design And SettingPair-matched case-control design in a public teaching hospital in metropolitan Melbourne, Australia.ParticipantsPatients treated by the ED fast track (cases) between 1 January and 31 March 2007 were compared with patients treated by the usual ED processes (controls) from 1 July to 15 November 2006 (n = 822 matched pairs).InterventionED fast track was established in November 2006 and focused on the management of patients with non-urgent complaints.Main Outcome MeasuresThe primary outcome measure was ED LOS for fast-track patients. Secondary outcomes were waiting times and ED LOS for other ED patients.ResultsMedian ED LOS for non-admitted patients was 132 minutes (interquartile range (IQR) 83-205.25) for controls and 116 minutes (IQR 75.5-159.0) for cases (p<0.01). Fast-track patients had a significantly higher incidence of discharge within 2 h (53% vs 44%, p<0.01) and 4 h (92% vs 84%, p<0.01).ConclusionsED fast track decreased ED LOS for non-admitted patients without compromising waiting times and ED LOS for other ED patients.

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