Research Paper Undergraduate 2,544 words

ER vs. Outpatient Center Wait Times: A Research Proposal

~13 min read 7 sections Health · Emergency Room

Abstract

This paper examines wait times in traditional emergency rooms compared to outpatient urgent care centers in the United States. Drawing on published statistics and peer-reviewed literature, the paper documents the scale of emergency department overcrowding, its consequences for patient safety and satisfaction, and the relative efficiency of outpatient clinics. It then proposes a purposive, modal-instance sampling strategy to collect primary data comparing wait times across both venue types. The paper outlines a field-based recruitment plan, inclusion and exclusion criteria for participant selection, and key contextual factors that distinguish emergency rooms from outpatient clinics. The goal is to establish a benchmark for current average wait times that can inform future healthcare access research.

Key Takeaways

Introduction: Overview of paper scope and research purpose
Characteristics of the Target and Accessible Population: ER overcrowding statistics and outpatient clinic comparisons
Proposed Sampling Strategy: Strengths and Limitations: Purposive modal-instance sampling design and rationale
Recruitment Plan: Field researcher approach and data collection method
Inclusion and Exclusion Criteria for Sample Selection: Participant eligibility rules and researcher discretion
Relevant Contextual Factors Regarding the Proposed Settings: Definitions of emergency rooms and outpatient clinics
Conclusion: Summary of findings and future research value

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What makes this paper effective

Grounds its argument in concrete national statistics (CDC emergency department data, surgical venue breakdowns) before moving to methodology, giving the proposal credible empirical scaffolding.
Clearly distinguishes between target and accessible populations and explains why modal-instance purposive sampling fits the research context, demonstrating methodological awareness.
Maintains a logical research-proposal structure — moving from problem identification through sampling design, recruitment, and inclusion/exclusion criteria — that mirrors standard IRB-style proposal conventions.
Acknowledges real-world constraints (privacy concerns, respondent distress, data collection difficulty) rather than presenting an idealized methodology.

Key academic technique demonstrated

The paper demonstrates how to justify a sampling strategy by connecting it explicitly to the study's purpose and practical constraints. Rather than simply naming "purposive sampling," the author explains why modal-instance sampling is appropriate for this population — walk-in patients at varied hours — and cites a methodological source (Trochim, 2006) to legitimize the choice. This move from problem to method to rationale is a transferable research-writing skill.

Structure breakdown

The paper follows a classic research-proposal arc: (1) introduction and problem statement; (2) literature review framed as population characteristics; (3) sampling methodology with strengths and limitations; (4) recruitment procedures; (5) inclusion/exclusion criteria; (6) contextual factors affecting the setting; and (7) a conclusion that synthesizes findings and projects future value. Each section is explicitly signposted, making the logical progression easy to follow.

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Essay 2,544 words

Introduction

It is reasonable to suggest that many, if not most, people find themselves in need of urgent medical care at some point in their lives. Until a few years ago, the traditional emergency room was the only option available. Over the past 20 years or so, however, there has been an explosion in the number of outpatient centers that provide a wide range of urgent medical care, including various surgical procedures. This growth has resulted in increased interest in determining how efficient these respective healthcare venues are in treating patients.

To this end, this paper reviews the relevant literature concerning traditional emergency rooms and outpatient centers and proposes a strategy for recruiting and selecting a sample population to compare average waiting times for each. An overview of the characteristics of the target and accessible populations is followed by a description of the proposed sampling strategy with its strengths and limitations. A discussion of the proposed recruitment plan is followed by a description of the inclusion and exclusion criteria that will be used for sample selection. Finally, an assessment of relevant contextual factors regarding the proposed study setting is followed by a summary of the research and important findings in the conclusion.

6 Sections Hidden · 1,460 words

Characteristics of the Target and Accessible Population710 words

The scenario is probably familiar to any healthcare consumer who has sought medical care in a traditional emergency room. In all likelihood, there will be dozens of patients and their…

Proposed Sampling Strategy: Strengths and Limitations175 words

Formulating an effective sampling strategy that accurately compares waiting times at traditional emergency rooms with those at outpatient clinics is complicated by a number of factors. As one industry analyst notes, "the problem is most of these…

Recruitment Plan155 words

In order to protect the privacy of adult (21 years and older) healthcare consumers and their family members, and to ensure that appropriate informed consent procedures are followed, approval for the recruitment plan will be obtained from the university as well as the emergency room and outpatient clinic selected for comparisons. Because of the data collection constraints described above, the proposed study…

Inclusion and Exclusion Criteria for Sample Selection155 words

The inclusion criteria for the sampling strategy described above will involve a judgment call on the part of the researcher concerning whether a potential respondent is over the age of 21 years — only obvious candidates will be approached…

Relevant Contextual Factors Regarding the Proposed Settings90 words

The terms "emergency departments" and "emergency rooms" are used interchangeably and refer to "a hospital room or area staffed and equipped for the reception and treatment of persons requiring immediate medical care" (Emergency room, 2015, para. 1). The term "outpatient clinic" is used to refer to a…

Conclusion175 words

The research showed that although emergency rooms and outpatient clinics provide some of the same types of urgent healthcare services, the former are legally required to accept all patients irrespective of their ability to pay and will treat virtually any type of healthcare emergency, while the latter are more specialized and limited in their offerings. It is not surprising, then, that waiting times in emergency rooms…

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References

Alijani, G. S. & Kwun, O. (2015, July 1). The effect of emergency waiting time on patient satisfaction. Journal of Management Information and Decision Sciences, 18(2), 1–4.

Brady, M. C., Scher, L. M. & Newman, W. (2013, October). "I just saw Big Bird. He was 100 feet tall!" Malingering in the emergency room: Four instruments can help you make a rapid assessment of a patient feigning symptoms. Current Psychiatry, 12(10), 33–39.

Emergency room. (2015). In Merriam-Webster dictionary. Retrieved from http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/emergencyroom.

Hsia, R. Y., Kellermann, A. L. & Shen, Y-C. (2011, May 18). Factors associated with closures of emergency departments in the United States. Journal of the American Medical Association, 305(19), 1978–1985.

Kilcoyne, M. & Dowling, M. (2010). Working in an overcrowded accident and emergency department: Nurses' narratives. Australian Journal of Advanced Nursing, 25(2), 1–5.

Kovner, A. R. & Knickman, J. R. (2003). Jonas and Kovner's health care delivery in the United States. New York: Springer Publishing Company.

National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey: 2011 Emergency Department Summary Tables. (2011). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/emergency-department.htm.

Reime, B. & Tu, A. W. (2007, May/June). Factors associated with reluctance to use an emergency department in a multi-ethnic community: Results of a telephone survey. Canadian Journal of Public Health, 98(3), 222–225.

Trochim, W. M. K. (2006). Sampling. Social Research Methods. Retrieved from

Urgent care center vs. emergency room. (2016). Urgent Care Locations. Retrieved from https://www.urgentcarelocations.com/urgent-care-101/faq/urgent-care-center-vs.-emergency-room.

Wier, L. M. & Steiner, C. M. (2015, February). Surgeries in hospital-owned outpatient facilities, 2012. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. Retrieved from

Key Concepts in This Paper

Wait Times Emergency Rooms Outpatient Clinics Purposive Sampling Patient Satisfaction Overcrowding Urgent Care Healthcare Access Clinical Outcomes Modal Instance Sampling