Improving Patient Flow and Reducing Emergency Department Crowding

In 2006 the Institute of Medicine stated that hospital-based emergency care was "at the breaking point." Nine out of 10 hospitals report boarding admitted patients in the ED while they await inpatient beds, and nearly half of EDs report operating at or above capacity.

HRET is conducting a study to document the experience of six hospitals as they implement patient flow improvement strategies under the Urgent Matters Learning Network (UMLN) II. HRET is collecting and analyzing data from site visits, interviews, monthly progress reports, and information shared during UMLN II conference calls and meetings. The project is also collecting and analyzing patient-level data to explore whether the strategies achieved their intended goals. The project is working to find out:

• What factors motivated, supported, or impeded the implementation of the strategies?
• What changes in patient flow, ED crowding, care quality, patient satisfaction, and staff satisfaction occurred after the implementation of the strategies?
• What resources were associated with the adoption of the strategies, and what were their associated costs? What cost savings or other financial benefits were associated with the adoption of the strategies?

Analyses are anticipated to offer important insights and lessons learned regarding the implementation of patient flow improvement strategies, which could provide useful guidance to other hospitals wishing to address ED crowding and patient flow.

To learn more about this project, contact Megan McHugh at 312-422-2634 or mmchugh@aha.org.