Emergency Magnetic Resonance Imaging 3-Tiered Prioritization.

Background/purpose: Traditional methods for prioritization are limited and insufficient for today's magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) demands. In particular, the discrepancy in urgency of the heterogeneous emergency department (ED) patient population necessitates risk stratification to meet different degrees of urgency. The purpose of this study is to more effectively prioritize the MRI imaging needs of ED patients commensurate with the severity of their presenting illness.

Emergency Department Expansion Versus Patient Flow Improvement: Impact on Patient Experience of Care.

Background: Most strategies used to help improve the patient experience of care and ease emergency department (ED) crowding and diversion require additional space and personnel resources, major process improvement interventions, or a combination of both.

Objectives: To compare the impact of ED expansion vs. patient flow improvement and the establishment of a rapid assessment unit (RAU) on the patient experience of care in a medium-size safety net ED.

Minimizing ED Waiting Times and Improving Patient Flow and Experience of Care.

We conducted a pre- and postintervention analysis to assess the impact of a process improvement project at the Cambridge Hospital ED. Through a comprehensive and collaborative process, we reengineered the emergency patient experience from arrival to departure. The ED operational changes have had a significant positive impact on all measured metrics.