More than 12k patients walked out of CUH's ED before they were treated, data shows

A total of 12,040 people walked out of the emergency department (ED) of Cork University Hospital (CUH) without being treated between 2017 and 2022, hospital data shows.

In 2017, 1,563 patients absconded — the official term for those who walk out of an emergency department without being treated — out of 64,709 attendances, meaning 2.42% of those who presented are classified as “did not wait” (DNW) patients. Some 2,310 (3.4%) walked out in 2018, 2,076 (2.97%) in 2019, 1,155 (1.84%) in 2020, and 1,905 (2.76%) in 2021.

In 2022, the last year for which data was provided, 3,031 patients walked out of a total of 72,928 attendances — a 4.16% DNW rate, considerably higher than five years previous. The national standard is the DNW rate should not be more than 5% of attendances.

Conor Deasy, professor in emergency medicine in CUH and UCC explained: “We monitor the patients who ‘do not wait’. Sometimes the patient does not wait because, in the face of a wait time, they seek out alternative ways of having their issue dealt with — through their GP, pharmacist, injury unit, private hospitals (Bons/Mater Private) etc.

“When patients do not wait, there is a process of screening their chart and any diagnostic tests like cardiographs, blood results that might have been taken, and we often ring the patient. Their GP gets a letter from the emergency department letting them know the patient attended the emergency department, for what reason, and the results of investigations.”

He added: “Where there is a risk associated with the patient not waiting, they are contacted ... and asked to re-present.

“We are very aware of the vulnerable population who may abscond, who have mental health needs, and do everything we can to reduce this risk.

“It’s also noteworthy that CUH has seen an exponential increase in its attendances since 2017 and, while there has been an investment in staff and infrastructure, it is in no way commensurate with the increase in activity.”

A further 5,207 CUH patients saw a doctor but did not wait for their outcomes during the same period, meaning a total of 17,247 patients left before completing their treatment. 

Data provided to Aontú by the HSE shows that, between 2017 and 2022, 32,801 patients walked out of Cork emergency departments, 17,247 in Cork University Hospital, as well as a further 15,554 in Mercy University Hospital.

CUH saw 4,455 walk outs in 2022, according to this data — 6.11% of all patients who presented to CUH that year.

A spokesperson for the South/South West Hospital Group said : “The [National Emergency Medicine Programme] quantify ‘did not waits’ as those who register, are triaged, but do not wait to see a doctor.” The national report “also includes a second group who ... do not wait for their outcomes”. 

Aontu’s Becky Kealy described the figures as a “damning inditement” of the current health service.