Case Management

CMW News: Hospitals around the nation look to cure ED overcrowding

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Too many patients and not enough capacity in the emergency department has been a longstanding puzzle for hospitals. Fifty percent of hospital admissions now come through the ED, up from 36% in 1996, according to a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report.

To speed and improve patient care, emergency departments across the nation are implementing creative registration, testing, and admissions strategies:

Cooper Hospital-University Medical Center in Camden, NJ, uses a “fast track” system for patients with minor illnesses or injuries. These patients are treated by physician assistants or nurse practitioners, leaving the physicians more time to work with serious patients.
Dublin (OH) Medical Hospital uses electronic patient records and ordering to make the process more efficient and accessible.
Scripps Mercy Hospital in San Diego and Chula Vista uses an electronic system to keep track of available beds to reduce the amount of time patients spend waiting for a bed. It also has a full time phlebotomist working in the ED to facilitate blood testing.
Hudson Valley Hospital Center in Westchester, NY, uses portable computers to conduct patient registration and testing at the bedside.

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