TITLE:
Factors Associated with Delayed Patient Care in the Emergency Department of the Sylvanus Olympio University Hospital Center in Lomé
AUTHORS:
Kodjo Agbeko Djagadou, Abou-Bakari Tchala, Obadya Nsoukpo, Kodjo Segniagbeto, Emewesse Banka, Essy S. G. Agnegue, Mohaman Awalou Djibril
KEYWORDS:
Care, Delay, Medical Emergency, Togo
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Internal Medicine,
Vol.15 No.4,
December
26,
2025
ABSTRACT: Objectives: The overall objective of this study was to determine the factors explaining the delayed care of patients admitted to the emergency department of the Sylvanus Olympio University Hospital Center (CHU SO) in Lomé. Materials and Methods: This was a descriptive cross-sectional study conducted using questionnaires administered to patients and healthcare professionals in the emergency department of the Sylvanus Olympio University Hospital Center (CHU SO). The survey took place between February 1 and June 1, 2023. Results: Our study included 505 patients, 59.46% of whom had been referred. In 70.5% of cases, patients were admitted to the emergency department by taxi, and in 8.3% by ambulance or fire department. Eighty-nine point three percent of patients were immediately made available to a bed, according to the patient’s report. After being made available, 43.4% of the patients surveyed waited between 10 and 30 minutes before their first contact with a physician. Factors contributing to delayed patient care included insufficient emergency physicians, unavailability of medications in the hospital pharmacy, lack of space, staff workload, unavailable emergency medical equipment, lack of financial resources, and inefficient patient care processes. Conclusion: The results of our work clearly show a delay in patient care. One solution that can improve this care is to increase the number of healthcare staff and ensure the availability of emergency medications in the department. It would be necessary to strengthen the department’s capacity to care for patients in order to guarantee effective and efficient management of medical emergencies in our country.