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Emergency department crowding: A systematic review of causes, consequences and solutions

PloS one, 2018-08, Vol.13 (8), p.e0203316-e0203316 [Peer Reviewed Journal]

COPYRIGHT 2018 Public Library of Science ;COPYRIGHT 2018 Public Library of Science ;2018 Morley et al 2018 Morley et al ;ISSN: 1932-6203 ;EISSN: 1932-6203 ;DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0203316 ;PMID: 30161242

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  • Title:
    Emergency department crowding: A systematic review of causes, consequences and solutions
  • Author: Morley, Claire ; Unwin, Maria ; Peterson, Gregory M ; Stankovich, Jim ; Kinsman, Leigh
  • Bellolio, Fernanda
  • Subjects: Biology and Life Sciences ; Crowding ; Delivery of Health Care ; Emergency Medical Services - methods ; Emergency service ; Emergency Service, Hospital ; Engineering and Technology ; Hospital emergency services ; Hospitals ; Humans ; Management ; Medical personnel ; Medicine and Health Sciences ; People and Places ; Practice ; Supply and demand
  • Is Part Of: PloS one, 2018-08, Vol.13 (8), p.e0203316-e0203316
  • Description: Emergency department crowding is a major global healthcare issue. There is much debate as to the causes of the phenomenon, leading to difficulties in developing successful, targeted solutions. The aim of this systematic review was to critically analyse and summarise the findings of peer-reviewed research studies investigating the causes and consequences of, and solutions to, emergency department crowding. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines were followed. A structured search of four databases (Medline, CINAHL, EMBASE and Web of Science) was undertaken to identify peer-reviewed research publications aimed at investigating the causes or consequences of, or solutions to, emergency department crowding, published between January 2000 and June 2018. Two reviewers used validated critical appraisal tools to independently assess the quality of the studies. The study protocol was registered with the International prospective register of systematic reviews (PROSPERO 2017: CRD42017073439). From 4,131 identified studies and 162 full text reviews, 102 studies met the inclusion criteria. The majority were retrospective cohort studies, with the greatest proportion (51%) trialling or modelling potential solutions to emergency department crowding. Fourteen studies examined causes and 40 investigated consequences. Two studies looked at both causes and consequences, and two investigated causes and solutions. The negative consequences of ED crowding are well established, including poorer patient outcomes and the inability of staff to adhere to guideline-recommended treatment. This review identified a mismatch between causes and solutions. The majority of identified causes related to the number and type of people attending ED and timely discharge from ED, while reported solutions focused on efficient patient flow within the ED. Solutions aimed at the introduction of whole-of-system initiatives to meet timed patient disposition targets, as well as extended hours of primary care, demonstrated promising outcomes. While the review identified increased presentations by the elderly with complex and chronic conditions as an emerging and widespread driver of crowding, more research is required to isolate the precise local factors leading to ED crowding, with system-wide solutions tailored to address identified causes.
  • Publisher: United States: Public Library of Science
  • Language: English
  • Identifier: ISSN: 1932-6203
    EISSN: 1932-6203
    DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0203316
    PMID: 30161242
  • Source: Public Library of Science (PLoS) Journals Open Access
    Geneva Foundation Free Medical Journals at publisher websites
    MEDLINE
    ProQuest Databases
    PubMed Central
    DOAJ Directory of Open Access Journals
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