Triage Liaison Physician - Evaluation of a Novel Approach to Address Emergency Department Overcrowding

University of Alberta5,718 enrolled

Overview

This randomized controlled trial will introduce a triage liaison physician (TLP) into the University of Alberta Hospital Emergency Department (ED) and assess the influence on patients who leave without being seen, ED length of stay, and other ED Overcrowding outcomes.

ED Overcrowding is a significant cause of delayed care, patient dissatisfaction, and poor outcomes in North American EDs. This intervention has not been widely studied; however, it represents an opportunity for improving patient flows in EDs.

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

HEALTH_SERVICES_RESEARCH

Masking

NONE

Enrollment

5,718

Conditions

Acute Illness

Interventions

Triage Liaison PhysicianBEHAVIORAL

triage liaison physician stationed with nurses at the triage desk of the Emergency Department.

Eligibility

Sex: ALLMin age: 17 Years

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion Criteria: * Only adult patients (\> 17 years of age) presenting to the University of Alberta Hospital Emergency Department (UAH ED), during the study interval will be included in the evaluation. Exclusion Criteria: * Direct admits/Pediatric patients.

Locations (1)

University of Alberta Hospital

Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Median patient length of stay

Time frame: while in the Emergency Department

Secondary Outcomes

Left without being seen

Time frame: while in the Emergency Department

ambulance turnaround times

Time frame: while in the Emergency Department

satisfaction (physicians and nurses)

Time frame: following their Emergency Department shift

TLP activity

Time frame: while in the Emergency Department

Data from ClinicalTrials.gov

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