Three strategies to reduce overcrowding and gridlock.
ED overcrowding leads to lost revenue and service opportunities. Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian in Newport Beach, CA, dropped diversion hours to zero with Code Emergency Saturation Triage (EST). Mobilize all staff to take extraordinary measures to move patients, i.e., immediate assessment of patients who should be moved upstairs and prioritizing bed cleaning. Pre-emptive bed requests can identify patient needs much sooner. Creative staffing, such as creating the position of emergency care admit nurse, can ease the paperwork burden of floor nurses.
D002140:California; D003441:Crowding; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000458:organization & administration*; D017408:Guidelines as Topic; D006764:Hospitals, Community / Q000458:organization & administration; D010343:Patient Admission