title: ED diversions banned by Seattle-area hospitals.
abstract: With the proper system, EDs truly can avoid diversions without becoming too overloaded to handle critically ill patients. A "fail-safe" process that allows EDs to go on saturation for two hours acts as a safety valve to ensure flow. When all EDs in the area agree to the same procedures, it avoids any single ED becoming overwhelmed by an influx of patients. Working in cooperation with other EDs gives your argument greater weight when asking administrators to take a hospitalwide approach to flow improvement.
mesh_terms: D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D019982:Organizational Case Studies; D010360:Patient Transfer / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D014187:Transportation of Patients / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D014861:Washington