title: Interventions to safeguard system effectiveness during periods of emergency department crowding.
abstract: This article summarizes the proceedings of a breakout session, "Interventions to Safeguard System Effectiveness," at the 2011 Academic Emergency Medicine consensus conference, "Interventions to Assure Quality in the Crowded Emergency Department." Key definitions fundamental to understanding the effectiveness of emergency care during periods of emergency department (ED) crowding are outlined. Next, a proposed research agenda to evaluate interventions directed at improving emergency care effectiveness is outlined, and the paper concludes with a prioritization of those interventions based on breakout session participant discussion and evaluation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, USA. kkocher@umich.edu
authors.forename: Keith E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Kocher
authors.forename: Steven A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Shane
authors.forename: Arjun K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Venkatesh
authors.forename: Dominik
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Aronsky
authors.forename: Brent R
authors.initials: BR
authors.lastname: Asplin
authors.forename: Niels K
authors.initials: NK
authors.lastname: Rathlev
mesh_terms: D003441:Crowding; D017598:Efficiency, Organizational; D004635:Emergency Medicine / Q000458:organization & administration*; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000458:organization & administration*; D004638:Emergency Treatment / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010348:Patient Care Team / Q000458:organization & administration; D017751:Safety Management / Q000458:organization & administration*; D017748:Time Management; D017749:Total Quality Management; D014481:United States; D057188:Workflow