System-Wide Strategies to Reduce Emergency Department Boarding Topic Brief-System-Wide Strategies to Reduce Emergency Department Boarding Topic Brief

Pdf Summary

Emergency department (ED) overcrowding and boarding of patients has been shown to have negative impacts on patient care, including delayed treatment and increased mortality rates. With the increasing number of ED visits in the US, it is important to implement strategies to reduce boarding and improve patient flow. Some of the strategies include developing capacity management plans, expediting the care of critically ill patients, smoothing the operating room schedule, and focusing on early inpatient discharge times. Innovations such as using checklists, improving bed management, and establishing observation units can also help improve patient throughput. It is important to have the support of senior administration and engage in system-wide collaboration among all patient care teams to address throughput efficiencies. Regulatory bodies, such as the Joint Commission and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, have set standards and quality measures to improve ED patient flow and reduce boarding. Implementing these strategies and monitoring outcomes can ultimately decrease patient-care delays and complications, and improve patient outcomes.

Meta Tag

boarding crowding

boarding patient safety

boarding mental health

boarding behavioral health

boarding flow

boarding LOS

boarding LWBS

Keywords

Emergency department overcrowding

Patient boarding

Delayed treatment

Increased mortality rates

Capacity management plans

Care of critically ill patients

Early inpatient discharge times

Checklists

Bed management

Observation units