Some hospitals implement unique measures to improve ER wait times
Patient Safety Monitor Alert
December 17, 2008
In an effort to cut down on the nation's emergency room (ER) overcrowding problem, some hospitals are using new techniques to help their ER clinicians see as many patients as they can, in the most time-effective manner, reports USA Today. Cooper-Hackensack University Medical Center in Camden, NJ, has created a "fast track" for patients who have minor injuries, such as sprains. Nurse practitioners or physicians' assistants treat these fast-tracked patients, freeing up doctors to treat patients with major injuries and illnesses.
Other hospitals are using technology to help improve wait times. For example, Scripps Mercy Hospital in San Diego and Chula Vista, CA, has implemented a computerized bed monitoring system that allows staff members to immediately fill vacant beds and keep patients moving throughout the hospital.
To read about more ways to cut down on ER wait times, click here.
