Introduction
Background
Methods
Aim
Study design
Study setting
Detailed description of the six phases in the study
Phase 1, “baseline” (Feb 1 to Mar 1)
Phase 2, “Early phase, normal working methods” (Mar 2 – Mar 13)
Phase 3, “Intermediary phase, new working methods” (Mar 14 – Mar 29)
Phase 4, “Exponential phase with controlled ambulance inflow” (Mar 30 – Apr 2)
Phase 5, “Exponential phase with extreme ambulance inflow” (Apr 3 – Apr 8)
Phase 6, “Plateau, stabilization of inflow” (Apr 8 – Apr 30)
Variables
Data sources/measurement
Statistical methods
Results
Participants
Input factors
Throughput factors
Phase 1 | Phase 2 | Phase 3 | Phase 4 | Phase 5 | Phase 6 | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Input | ||||||
Visits | ||||||
Visits, n | 3546 | 1368 | 1482 | 410 | 613 | 1928 |
Days, n | 30 | 12 | 16 | 4 | 5 | 23 |
Visits per day, n | 118 | 114 | 93 | 103 | 123 | 84 |
EMS arrival | ||||||
Arrivals per day, n | 43 | 40 | 36 | 50 | 75 | 47 |
Proportion, % | 37% | 35% | 39% | 49% | 61% | 56% |
Throughput | ||||||
Imaging performed | ||||||
Yes, % | 32% | 29% | 18% | 15% | 11% | 19% |
Admitted to inpatient care | ||||||
Yes, % | 33% | 34% | 43% | 48% | 51% | 46% |
Output | ||||||
Emergency ward | ||||||
Bed occupancy, % | 90% | 85% | 66% | 71% | 79% | 70% |
Care episodes per day, n | 27 | 31 | 35 | 33 | 42 | 23 |
Length of stay, hours | 50 | 48 | 26 | 23 | 24 | 27 |
Demographics | ||||||
Sex | ||||||
Male sex, n (%) | 1686 (48%) | 677 (50%) | 749 (51%) | 213 (52%) | 328 (54%) | 1036 (54%) |
Age | ||||||
< 40, n (%) | 975 (28%) | 392 (29%) | 416 (29%) | 95 (24%) | 138 (23%) | 461 (24%) |
40–59, n (%) | 897 (26%) | 385 (29%) | 439 (30%) | 138 (35%) | 206 (34%) | 568 (30%) |
60–79, n (%) | 1074 (31%) | 398 (30%) | 438 (30%) | 119 (30%) | 161 (27%) | 598 (32%) |
80+, n (%) | 515 (15%) | 165 (12%) | 158 (11%) | 46 (12%) | 96 (16%) | 266 (14%) |
Missing, n | 85 | 28 | 31 | 12 | 12 | 35 |
ED crowding | ||||||
ED LOS | ||||||
Mean, minutes | 440 | 386 | 307 | 341 | 351 | 294 |
Confidence interval, 95% | 431–449 | 373–399 | 297–317 | 321–360 | 336–366 | 287–302 |