Modulating patient output: rethinking the role of EM in the healthcare system

Annmarie M Lang-Hodge; Melissa N Monaghan; Rodrick Lim; Eric P Heymann; Eddy Lang

doi:10.1007/s11739-024-03774-6

Modulating patient output: rethinking the role of EM in the healthcare system

Intern Emerg Med. 2024 Sep 23. doi: 10.1007/s11739-024-03774-6. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Annmarie M Lang-Hodge¹, Melissa N Monaghan², Rodrick Lim³, Eric P Heymann^{4

5}, Eddy Lang⁶

Affiliations

¹ Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada. [email protected].
² Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.
³ Departments of Paediatrics and Medicine, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada.
⁴ Department of Emergency Medicine, Neuchâtel Cantonal Hospital, Neuchâtel, Switzerland.
⁵ Department of Emergency Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
⁶ Department of Emergency Medicine, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.

PMID: 39312129
DOI: 10.1007/s11739-024-03774-6

Abstract

Overcrowding has become a significant issue in Emergency departments (EDs) around the world. Overcrowding contributes to a chaotic, unsafe and disorganized environment, increasing the burden on healthcare teams, and has led to deteriorating working conditions, with subsequent higher rates of burnout. This review aims to discuss different solutions to improve the process of patient discharge from the ED, either to an inpatient unit, another hospital, or to an outpatient setting, and the impact this component of patient flow can have on physician well being. The solutions presented in this paper have been chosen for their translatability to any setting, regardless of their geographical location.

Keywords: Emergency department; Flow solutions; Output; Overcrowding; Physician wellness; Strategy implementation.

Publication types

Review