Patients with mental health conditions in the emergency department: Why so long a wait?

Some factors predictive of a long ED stay for patients presenting to the ED and diagnosed with a MHD varied based on their disposition. For admissions, the most urgent presentations were likely to stay longest. Strategies to reduce ED stay for both admissions and discharges should consider addressing modifiable aspects, including the need for certain investigations, and non-modifiable aspects, including the need for further access to after-hours mental health services in hospital and in the community.