Patients experience satisfaction and less initial waiting time after implementation of an Emergency Department with an observation unit

Background Patients’ experiences are an import guide to improvements in developing an Emergency Department (ED). Therefore, in 2009, when the ED at Nykoebing Hospital was established, a large group of patients were interviewed few hours after arrival. They generally expressed high degree of satisfaction with the treatment. Now, three years after, a comparable population has been interviewed to follow up after the comprehensive intervention of building up an ED. Special attention was given to the overall satisfaction with the treatment, supplemented with specific questions about initial waiting time and cooperation among staff.