Emergency Department Experience in Four Tertiary Hospitals in Oman: A Cross-Sectional Study

This study assessed patient- and family-reported emergency department experience in four tertiary public hospitals in Oman, examined the internal structure of the adapted Brief Emergency Department Patient Satisfaction Scale (BEPSS), and identified associated factors. In this cross-sectional study, 822 respondents completed the adapted 20-item, five-category BEPSS between February and August 2025. Reliability analysis, polychoric exploratory factor analysis with parallel analysis, Welch tests with Holm adjustment, Games–Howell comparisons, and HC3-robust multiple linear regression were performed. Overall experience was favorable (mean item score, 4.05; SD, 0.86). Internal consistency was high (Cronbach α = .971; ordinal ω = .981), and parallel analysis supported one dominant factor. Unadjusted differences by hospital, visit shift, and self-reported length of stay were small. After adjustment, hospital and shift were not independently associated with experience, whereas length of stay, first-visit status, and disposition remained significant. Stays longer than three hours were associated with a 0.31-point lower score than stays of one to two hours. Monitoring experience and improving communication during delays may strengthen patient- and family-centered emergency care in Oman.