Identification of root causes for emergency diagnostic imaging delays at three Canadian hospitals.

Background: Diagnostic imaging of patients in the emergency department offers numerous opportunities for delay. In an era of ED overcrowding, it is important to identify causes of delay in caring for patients to minimize patient length of stay in the emergency department.

Objectives: This study was intended to: (1) identify each of the steps involved in completing emergency diagnostic imaging investigations; (2) identify points of delay in the process; (3) identify the root causes for delay; and (4) perform a barrier analysis to provide insight into the contribution of the work environment and existing processes to delays.