The International Federation for Emergency Medicine report on emergency department crowding and access block: A brief summary

Arshia P Javidan; Kim Hansen; Ian Higginson; Peter Jones; Eddy Lang; IFEM Task Force on Emergency Department Crowding and Access Block

doi:10.1111/1742-6723.13660

The International Federation for Emergency Medicine report on emergency department crowding and access block: A brief summary

Emerg Med Australas. 2021 Feb;33(1):161-163. doi: 10.1111/1742-6723.13660. Epub 2021 Jan 13.

Authors

Arshia P Javidan^{1

2}, Kim Hansen^{3

4}, Ian Higginson⁵, Peter Jones^{6

7}, Eddy Lang^{8

9}; IFEM Task Force on Emergency Department Crowding and Access Block

Affiliations

¹ Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
² Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
³ Emergency Department, The Prince Charles Hospital, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
⁴ Emergency Department, St Andrew's War Memorial Hospital, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
⁵ Emergency Department, Derriford Hospital, Plymouth, UK.
⁶ Emergency Department, Auckland City Hospital, Auckland District Health Board, Auckland, New Zealand.
⁷ Department of Surgery, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.
⁸ Department of Emergency Medicine, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
⁹ Department of Emergency Medicine, Alberta Health Services, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

PMID: 33440078
DOI: 10.1111/1742-6723.13660

Abstract

Objective: To develop comprehensive guidance that captures international impacts, causes, and solutions related to ED crowding and access block.

Methods: Emergency physicians representing 15 countries from all the International Federation for Emergency Medicine (IFEM) regions composed the task force. Monthly meetings were held via video-conferencing software to achieve consensus for report content. The report was submitted and approved by the IFEM Board on June 1, 2020.

Results: A total of 14 topic dossiers, each relating to an aspect of ED crowding, were researched and completed collaboratively by members of the task force.

Conclusions: The IFEM report is a comprehensive document intended to be used in whole or by section to inform and address aspects of ED crowding and access block. Overall, ED crowding is a multifactorial issue requiring systems-wide solutions applied at local, regional, and national levels. Access block is the predominant contributor of ED crowding in most parts of the world.

Keywords: access block; care system; crowding; emergency care system; emergency department management; emergency department operations.

MeSH terms

Crowding*
Emergency Medicine*
Emergency Service, Hospital
Humans