Risks predicting prolonged hospital discharge boarding in a regional acute care hospital.

Background: Prolonged hospital discharge boarding can impact patient flow resulting in upstream Emergency Department crowding. We aim to determine the risks predicting prolonged hospital discharge boarding and their direct and indirect effects on patient flow.

Methods: Retrospective review of a single hospital discharge database was conducted.

Optimal Measurement Interval for Emergency Department Crowding Estimation Tools.

Study Objective: Emergency department (ED) crowding is a barrier to timely care. Several crowding estimation tools have been developed to facilitate early identification of and intervention for crowding. Nevertheless, the ideal frequency is unclear for measuring ED crowding by using these tools.