title: Changing paediatric emergency department model of care is associated with improvements in the National Emergency Access Target and a decrease in inpatient admissions.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the impact on patient flow as noted by the National Emergency Access Target (NEAT), with the introduction of a new Paediatric ED (PEM ED) model of care.
  
  
  METHODS
  This longitudinal observational study was conducted at the Logan Hospital, a 344 bed public hospital in metropolitan Brisbane, which opened a physically separate, dedicated PEM ED on 14 October 2014, incorporating approximately 30% more staff, limited changes in processes and no changes in governance. De-identified data of the entire clientele from the ED Information System were compared 365 days before and after the opening of the PEM ED.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Although the number of children presenting to ED increased by 23% (pre 18 142, post 22 391), the median length of stay decreased substantially from 152 min to 138 min, resulting in a 7.75% rise in presentations that met the NEAT target (pre 77.41%, post 85.16%; P < 0.0001). Admission to the ED Short Stay Unit rose by 16.48% (pre 5.38%, post 21.86%; P < 0.0001), whereas final disposition to the inpatient paediatric unit fell by 2.30% (pre 11.43, post 9.13%; P < 0.0001). The clinical presentations were similar pre and post across age, sex, ethnicity, referral and arrival mode, Australasian Triage Scale category, presenting problem and discharge diagnosis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  NEAT times improved after changing the PEM ED model of care. Further studies may assist identifying which of the specific features within the new model are most effective for improving patient flow.
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, Griffith University, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.|Emergency Department, Logan Hospital, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
authors.forename: Stephen A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Margolis
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia.
authors.forename: Reinhold
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Muller
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, Griffith University, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
authors.forename: Valmae A
authors.initials: VA
authors.lastname: Ypinazar
authors.affiliation: Emergency Department, Logan Hospital, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
authors.forename: Ben
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Lawton
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006779:Hospitals, Public / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D010043:Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care; D012189:Retrospective Studies
keywords: National Emergency Access Target; paediatric emergency medicine