P112: Predicting patient admission from the emergency department using triage administrative data

Abstract

Introduction: Emergency department (ED) over-crowding and increased wait times are a growing problem. Many interventions have been proposed to decrease patient length of stay and increase patient flow. Early disposition planning is one method to accomplish this goal. In this study we developed statistical models to predict patient admission based on ED administrative data. The objective of this study was to predict patient admission early in the visit with goal of preparation of the acute care bed and other resources. Methods: Retrospective administrative ED data from the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre was obtained for the period May 2014 to April 2015. Data were divided into training and testing groups with 80% of data used to train the statistical models. Logistic regression models were developed using administrative variables (i.e., age, sex, mode of arrival, and triage level). Model accuracy was evaluated using sensitivity, specificity, and area under the curve measures. To predict hourly bed requirements, the probability of admission was summed to calculate a pooled bed requirement estimate. The estimated hourly bed requirement was then compared to the historical hourly demand. Results: The logistic regression models had a sensitivity of 23%, specificity of 97%, and an area under the curve of 0.78. Although, admission prediction for a particular individual was satisfactory, the hourly pooled probabilities showed better results. The predicted hourly bed requirements were close to historical demand for beds when compared. Conclusion: I have shown that the number of acute care beds required on an hourly basis can be predicted using triage administrative data. Early admission bed planning would allow resources to be managed more effectively. In addition, during periods of hospital over capacity, managers would be able to prioritize transfers and discharges based on early estimates of ED demand for beds.