Abstract
Overcrowding in U.S. emergency departments (ED) is a critical issue. In a privatized health care system, patients with limited access to insurance benefits (as influenced by challenging socio-economic conditions) often utilize the ED as crucial point of access to care. Non-acute patients seeking primary care in ED facilities can congest operations and contribute to overcrowding. In Hawaii’s second busiest ED (Hospital 1), a non-traditional method of emergency triage – team triage – has been implemented to improve patient throughput and satisfaction, and mitigate effects of overcrowding. This study defines trends and compares two prominent and nationally recognized EDs (Hospital 1 and Hospital 2) in the state of Hawaii - employing team and traditional triage respectively, to examine changes in patient population, demographics, acuteness, and departmental throughput measures.
Highlights
Overcrowding in U.S emergency departments (ED) is a critical issue
Re-engineering an American emergency department with Team Triage - adapting to increasing patient volume in emergency services
Statistical analysis was completed with JMP and SPSS statistical software
Summary
Overcrowding in U.S emergency departments (ED) is a critical issue. In a privatized health care system, patients with limited access to insurance benefits (as influenced by challenging socio-economic conditions) often utilize the ED as crucial point of access to care. Non-acute patients seeking primary care in ED facilities can congest operations and contribute to overcrowding. In Hawaii’s second busiest ED (Hospital 1), a non-traditional method of emergency triage – team triage – has been implemented to improve patient throughput and satisfaction, and mitigate effects of overcrowding. This study defines trends and compares two prominent and nationally recognized EDs (Hospital 1 and Hospital 2) in the state of Hawaii employing team and traditional triage respectively, to examine changes in patient population, demographics, acuteness, and departmental throughput measures
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.