209 Assessment of a Novel Emergency Department-Based Critical Care Consult Service in an Urban Level-1 Trauma Center.

BackgroundAcute care addresses immediate resuscitation and early disposition to definitive care. Delay in final disposition from the emergency department (ED) affects outcomes in terms of morbidity and mortality. An audit was performed to assess the impact of protocols on red area disposition time.MethodsAn audit of red (resuscitation) area disposition time was performed among patients with compromised airway, breathing, and circulation. The red area disposition time was defined as the time from ED arrival to red area disposition. Pre-protocol data from nursing report books were reviewed for ED to operating room (OR), ED to intensive care unit (ICU), and overall disposition time between September 2007 and January 2008. Similar outcomes were documented after implementation of protocols during February to December 2008.ResultsIn the pre-protocol period, 992 red area patients were enrolled out of 10,000 ED visits. Out of which 527 (53.1%) were shifted to the OR and 222 (22.3%) to ICU. The average ED disposition time was 3.5 hours (range 2–5). Similarly, 1797 red area patients were enrolled in the post-protocol period out of 25,928. Of these, 453 (25.2%) patients were shifted to the OR, and 423 (23.7%) were shifted to the ICU. The average ED disposition time was 1.5 hours (range 10 minutes–3 hours).ConclusionsImplementation of protocols improves the red area disposition time of the ED. Auditing is an important tool to address patient safety issues.

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(A138) Duration of Emergency Department Stay and Injury Profile of Homeless Patients in a Level-1 Trauma Center

Prehospital and Disaster Medicine ◽

10.1017/s1049023x11001397 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 26 (S1) ◽

pp. s39-s39

Author(s):

S. Chauhan ◽

S. Bhoi ◽

D.T. Sinha ◽

M. Rodha ◽

L. Alexender ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Emergency Department ◽

Head Injury ◽

Trauma Center ◽

Injury Severity ◽

Road Traffic ◽

Road Traffic Crash ◽

Emergency Department Stay ◽

Level 1 ◽

Gcs Score ◽

Level 1 Trauma Center

Background and ObjectiveImmediate resuscitation and early disposition to definitive care improves outcomes. Homeless patients are neglected in emergency department (ED). The duration of ED stay and profile of injury of homeless patients at a Level-1 Trauma center were measured.MethodsThe study was performed from October 2008 to September 2009. Homeless patients were defined as patients who had no attendant and did not have any shelter. Duration of ED stay was noted from the ED arrival time to entry time at the definitive care (intensive care unit/ward). Clinical and demographic details were recorded. Subjects who had: (1) an attendant; (2) were discharged from the ED; or (3) expired in the ED were excluded.ResultsForty-one homeless patients were admitted. The mode of injury was road traffic crash in 73.2%; assault in 7.3%; fall from height in 7.3%; and in 12.2%, the mode of injury unknown. The average Injury Severity Score (ISS) was 6.76, with a maximum of 34 and minimum of 1. A total of 24 subjects (59%) had a Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score of ≤ 8 (severe head injury), 10 patients (24%) had GCS score 9–12 (moderate head injury), and seven subjects (17%) had GCS score 13–15 (minor head injury). Breath alcohol test was positive in 13%. The average duration of ED stay was 35 (3–173) hours in the homeless group and 12 (0.5–18) hours for patients with an attendant. Twenty-one subjects were admitted to neurosurgery (51.2%) with an average ED stay of 22.4 hours, five to surgery (12.20%) with average ED stay of 56.6 hours, and 15 to orthopedics (36.6%) with average ED stay of 45.3 hours.ConclusionsThe emergency department stay of homeless patients was 35 hours. Orthopedic trauma subjects had a prolonged disposal time. This addresses serious patient safety concerns and immediate remedial measures.

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