Is There an Association Between Emergency Department Overcrowding and Emergency Medical Services Redirection?
The Journal of emergency medicine · 2024-10-18 · Observational study
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Emergency Medical Systems (EMS) has developed policies to manage patient flow. In New York City, these practices include both diversion and redirection. Currently, gaps in the literature exist regarding the correlation between emergency department (ED) operational metrics and EMS redirection triggers. OBJECTIVES: This study analyzes the relationship between ED operational metrics and EMS redirection practices. METHODS: This single-center retrospective cohort analysis analyzed EMS patient transports from April 2021 to May 2022. Data on EMS redirection was obtained from Fire Department of New York (FDNY) notifications, and ED operational metrics were collected from the hospital's data repository. Metrics included ED length of stay, admission rates, and times from door-to-triage and door-to-room. RESULTS: During the study, 93,783 patient visits were recorded, with 22,734 (24%) transported by EMS. Redirection was activated on 250 days, predominantly on Mondays. A slight association was found between overall ED volume and redirection occurrences (OR 1.02), but no significant correlations were identified with other specific ED operational metrics. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings indicate no substantial correlation between these practices and ED operational metrics. These results suggest a need for a paradigm shift toward more objective, data-driven measures to inform EMS redirection, ensuring decisions are grounded in the ED's actual operational capacity.