The VA OIG investigation was in response to an allegation that on Aug. 1, 2011, the ED had patients on stretchers in the hallway, a shortage of telemetry beds and excessive wait times, according to the report. The complaint also alleged the ED had chronic problems including a shortage of hospital beds and long waits for ED transfers, among others.
Here are some of the VA OIG’s key findings about Aug. 1, 2011:
• Census in the ED exceeded capacity.
• The ED average length of stay for the nine patients who were admitted to the facility was more than 10 hours, and some patients stayed up to nearly 15 hours.
• The ED average length of stay for the eight patients who were transferred to another hospital was more than nine hours, and some patients stayed up to 14 hours.
• Patients were not harmed by the excessive wait times and length of stay.
The investigators also found that excessive LOS in the ED was a chronic problem, and that management was aware of the issues in the ED but had not taken adequate action. In addition, ultrasound resources were not always readily available and data in the ED integrated software and Veterans Health Information Systems and Technology Architecture were not consistently accurate.
More Articles on ED Capacity Management:
Report: 55% of Hospitals in Quality Program Reduced Time Spent in ED by 30 Minutes
Lean in the ED: 9 Steps
9 Strategies to Decrease ED Boarding at Hospitals
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