Fig. 1

ED patient visit process of community and academic hospitals. This figure showcases the stages involved in a patient's visit, such as triage, registration, assessment, and discharge. The main difference between the two types of EDs is the presence of a dedicated critical care area in academic EDs that is staffed by senior residents and attending physicians to provide prompt and efficient care. The time elapsed between triage/registration and the first assessment by a physician is known as the waiting time, while the time elapsed between triage/registration and the patient's departure from the ED is referred to as the LOS