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Q&A
Emergency department wait times and hospital bed capacity
1:57:16
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148 sec
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Dr. Birnbaum discusses H+H's approach to managing emergency department wait times and hospital bed capacity. The focus is on prioritizing patients based on acuity and providing care regardless of physical location within the hospital.
- Patients are seen based on their level of acuity using the Emergency Service Index
- No specific wait time data is provided, but patients are prioritized based on acuity regardless of arrival method (ambulance or walk-in)
- For patients waiting for hospital beds, care is provided in the ED at the same level as if they were in an inpatient bed
- The average wait time for a hospital bed has reportedly risen to over 26 hours, according to a recent report mentioned by Council Member Narcisse