The Association between Emergency Department Overcrowding and Delay in Treatment: A Systematic Review
Open Access
- 29 January 2023
- journal article
- review article
- Published by MDPI AG in Healthcare
- Vol. 11 (3), 385
- https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare11030385
Abstract
Emergency department (ED) overcrowding is a global health issue that is associated with poor quality of care and affects the timeliness of treatment initiation. The purpose of this systematic review is to assess the association between overcrowding and delay in treatment. A systematic review was conducted using four databases (CINAHL, PubMed, Scopus, Cochrane Library), following the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analysis (PRISMA). A structured search was conducted to identify peer-reviewed articles aimed at assessing the relationship between overcrowding and delay in treatment, published between January 2000 and January 2021. Only studies that were conducted in the ED settings were included, and that includes both triage and observation rooms. The studies were appraised using two quality appraisal tools including the critical appraisal skills programme (CASP) for cohort studies and the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) checklist tool for cross-sectional studies. A total of 567 studies screened, and 10 met the inclusion criteria. Of these studies, 8 were cohorts and 2 were cross-sectionals. The majority reported that overcrowding is associated with a delay in the initiation of antibiotics for patients with sepsis and pneumonia. The review identified that overcrowding might impact time-to-treatment and, thus, the quality of care delivered to the patient. However, further research aimed at finding feasible solutions to overcrowding is encouraged.Keywords
Funding Information
- the Research Center at the College of Nursing, King Saud University
This publication has 45 references indexed in Scilit:
- The Effect of Emergency Department Crowding on Analgesia in Patients with Back Pain in Two HospitalsAcademic Emergency Medicine, 2010
- Acute kidney injury in severe trauma assessed by RIFLE criteria: a common feature without implications on mortality?Scandinavian Journal of Trauma, Resuscitation and Emergency Medicine, 2010
- Early identification and delay to treatment in myocardial infarction and stroke: differences and similaritiesScandinavian Journal of Trauma, Resuscitation and Emergency Medicine, 2010
- The Association between Emergency Department Crowding and Analgesia Administration in Acute Abdominal Pain PatientsAcademic Emergency Medicine, 2009
- Systematic Review of Emergency Department Crowding: Causes, Effects, and SolutionsAnnals of Emergency Medicine, 2008
- Effect of Emergency Department Crowding on Time to Antibiotics in Patients Admitted With Community-Acquired PneumoniaAnnals of Emergency Medicine, 2007
- The Impact of Emergency Department Crowding Measures on Time to Antibiotics for Patients With Community-Acquired PneumoniaAnnals of Emergency Medicine, 2007
- IOM Report: The Future of Emergency Care in the United States Health SystemAcademic Emergency Medicine, 2006
- The Future of Emergency Care in the United States Health SystemAnnals of Emergency Medicine, 2006
- The Association between Emergency Department Crowding and Hospital Performance on Antibiotic Timing for Pneumonia and Percutaneous Intervention for Myocardial InfarctionAcademic Emergency Medicine, 2006