title: Reasons for crowded EDs vary among hospitals, communities, GAO says.
abstract: While no single issue explains the main reason for overcrowding in hospital emergency departments (EDs), the inability to transfer emergency patients to inpatient beds quickly once a decision to admit them has been made appears to be an important contributing factor at many hospitals, according to a new report on ED overcrowding from the U.S. General Accounting Office.
mesh_terms: D000289:Admitting Department, Hospital / Q000592:standards; D003441:Crowding; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006742:Hospital Bed Capacity; D006801:Humans; D010343:Patient Admission; D010561:Personnel Staffing and Scheduling; D014481:United States; D037041:United States Government Agencies