Table 2

Prospective associations between workflow interruptions, multitasking and emergency department (ED) staff's mental workload on patients’ perceived quality of care

Predictors: ED staff reports	Quality outcome I: patients’ perceived quality of care
Predictors: ED staff reports	Quality of ED organisation	Quality of patient information	Quality of patient interaction	General satisfaction with ED care
	β	β	β	β
Workflow interruptions	0.02	0.39	0.19	0.17
Multitasking	−0.25	−0.08	−0.28	−0.38
Mental workload	−0.56*	−0.18	−0.46*	−0.45*

n=20 observation days; β, standardised regression coefficient, controlled for number of staff present per day.
*p≤0.05. Scale range for ED staff reports (1 (very low) to 10 (very often)); the first three indicators of patients’ perceived quality of care were assessed with a five-point Likert scale (1 (very bad) to 5 (very good)), and overall satisfaction was scaled from 1 (very good) to 6 (very bad).