title: Development of a university-based emergency department network: lessons learned.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  As part of the growth of emergency medical care in our state, our university-based emergency medicine practice developed a network of affiliated emergency department (ED) practices. The original practices were academic and based on a faculty practice model; more recent network development incorporated a community practice model less focused on academics.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This article discusses the growth of that network, with a focus on the recent addition of a county-wide two-hospital emergency medicine practice. During the transition of the two EDs from a contract management group to the university network, six critical areas in need of restructuring were identified: 1) departmental leadership, 2) recruitment and retention of clinical staff members, 3) staffing strategies, 4) relationships with key constituents, 5) clinical operations, supplies, and equipment, and 6) compensation structure. The impact of changes was measured by comparison of core measures, efficiency metrics, patient volumes, admissions, and transfers to the academic medical center before and after the implementation of our practice model.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our review and modification of these components significantly improved the quality and efficiency of care at the community hospital system. The consistent presence of board certified emergency physicians optimized utilization of clinical resources in the community hospital and the academic health system. This dynamic led to a mutually beneficial merger of these major state healthcare systems.
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21201, USA.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Pimentel
authors.forename: Jon Mark
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Hirshon
authors.forename: Fermin
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Barrueto
authors.forename: Brian J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Browne
mesh_terms: D000046:Academic Medical Centers / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000592:standards; D017598:Efficiency, Organizational; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000592:standards; D018578:Hospital-Physician Relations; D006764:Hospitals, Community / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000592:standards; D006801:Humans; D015274:Interdepartmental Relations; D007400:Interprofessional Relations; D007857:Leadership; D017146:Models, Organizational; D010560:Personnel Selection / Q000458:organization & administration; D010561:Personnel Staffing and Scheduling / Q000458:organization & administration; D010563:Personnel Turnover; D012456:Salaries and Fringe Benefits; D000078329:Workforce