Evaluation of emergency department performance in Iraqi hospitals: Challenges and opportunities to improve care quality in Baghdad, the South, and the North
Author(s): Marwan Zakariya Yahya, Rabeea Zaki Naji and Nusrat Shakir Mohammad Hussain
Abstract: Background: The emergency department (ED) is a prime gateway to urgent acute treatment, which is a key component of Iraq's healthcare system for the past two decades since the US led invasion. Emergency department (ED) performance is challenged as hospitals are understaffed, poorly equipped, and need to compete for care delivery within the hospitals; improved ED performance is inextricably linked to the overall performance of hospitals in Iraq, where necessary care may not be available.
Objective: Evaluating the existing state of ED performance in three regions in Iraq (Baghdad, Southern Provinces and Northern Provinces) and identifying barriers and opportunities for improving quality of care either within the EDs or as a repository of acute care.
Methods: An observational, cross-sectional design was conducted with a sample of 24 hospitals in Iraq from January 2024 to June 2024. Performance metrics were based on the components of waiting times, patient satisfaction, clinical outcomes, resource utilization, and staff capacity or adequacy. Data were collected using patient surveys, medical chart reviews, and structured interviews with care providers.
Results: Evidence of regional differences with ED performance were identified across hospitals. Hospitals in Baghdad have more resources available for patient care but have a larger patient volume. Hospitals in the South showed longer waiting times for care delivery, longer times to see an ED specialist (which was not always available) and were faced with a challenging care delivery system. Northern hospitals demonstrated mixed ED performance based on the majority of performance metrics.
Conclusion: Iraqi emergency departments face serious systemic challenges influenced by problems linked to environmental conditions. There are several possible avenues for the EM to consider, including but not limited to, development of infrastructure, education and training of staff, optimising allocation of resources, and establishing operational and clinical protocols.
DOI: 10.22271/27069567.2025.v7.i3b.663Pages: 131-138 | Views: 255 | Downloads: 18Download Full Article: Click Here
How to cite this article:
Marwan Zakariya Yahya, Rabeea Zaki Naji, Nusrat Shakir Mohammad Hussain.
Evaluation of emergency department performance in Iraqi hospitals: Challenges and opportunities to improve care quality in Baghdad, the South, and the North. Int J Adv Res Med 2025;7(3):131-138. DOI:
10.22271/27069567.2025.v7.i3b.663
