10-Year Trends of Emergency Department Visits, Wait Time, and Length of Stay among Adults with Mental Health and Substance use Disorders in the United States

This study examined if there was a change in the number of Emergency Department (ED) visits, wait time, and length of stay among adults with mental health and substance use disorders (MHSUD) in the United States from 2006 to 2015. From the National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey, a total of 17,488 ED visits by adults with MHSUD were identified. Linear regression and negative binomial regression analyses were conducted to assess statistically significant changes in trends of ED visits, wait time, and length of stay. Results indicated that ED visits by adults with MHSUD increased by 30.6% from 2006 to 2015. Wait time of ED visits by adults with MHSUD decreased for the same time period; however, length of stay did not change. Also, there were some differences in trends of wait time and length of stay by diagnosis. Specifically, wait time of ED visits by adults with psychotic disorders did not decrease. Length of stay of ED visits by adults with anxiety disorders statistically significantly increased from 2006 to 2015. More effort is needed to improve the quality of ED care for adults with MHSUD. In such an effort, diagnoses should be taken into consideration.