A conceptual model of emergency department crowding

A model of a hospitalist role in the care of admitted patients in the emergency department

“…OUTPUT. 21,22 However, process redesign and intervention on these 3 interdependent ED workflow components may be difficult to achieve, especially when hospital resources are limited and when inpatient hospital capacity is already maximized. In some institutions, efforts have been reported to successfully streamline the transfer of admitted ED patients to inpatient beds, through transferto-ward policy interventions (eg, physician coordinators for patient flow and bed management or transfers made within a defined period of time).…”

Practice patterns and outcomes in patients presenting to the emergency department with acute heart failure

“…The acute HF patient often requires extended and comprehensive care, which further congests EDs and reduces patient throughput (15). More than one-half of the patients were admitted to the hospital, with a median LOS of approximately 7.5 days, suggesting significant resource use.…”

Why go to the Emergency Room? A Patient Decision Making Process

“…In just ten years from 1997 to 2007, the national average for ER visits increased 23% [8]. While part of the increase is attributed to additional patients truly needing emergency care, there are also demands by non-urgent cases-a significant barrier to timely care [9]. There are many relational factors contributing to overcrowding.…”