Abstract

ESTRADA-ATEHORTUA, Andrés Felipe  and  ZULUAGA-GOMEZ, Mateo. Strategies for the measurement and management of overcrowding in the adult emergency services of high complexity and high consultation volumes hospitals. A literature review. Iatreia [online]. 2020, vol.33, n.1, pp.68-77. ISSN 0121-0793.  https://doi.org/10.17533/udea.iatreia.34.

The over-occupation of emergency services is a global problem that has worsened in recent years. In the health institutions that serve patients of medium and high complexity, the attention of the patients is delayed and they can stay longer in a waiting room presenting longer attention times, a low level of satisfaction of the patients and users, delay in taking diagnostic aids and in defining discharge, medical complications and progression of their diseases, among others. To improve this situation, strategies have been developed such as the creation of observation units, fast track units or assignment of priority appointments for patients who do not require urgent attention, triage, point-of-care examinations and the involvement of specialists in emergency medicine. All of this in order to improve the quality of patient care, avoid adverse events during their process and reduce the over-occupation of the service.

Keywords : Emergency Care; Emergency Medicine; Triage.

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