The survey of Ways of Reducing Patients’ Length of Stay in the Emergency Department: A Systematic Review

Abstract

<strong>Introduction:</strong> In recent decades, increasingly crowded emergency departments (ED) cause considerable burden on the world's health care systems. Among the reasons for this bustle is the lengthy stay of patients. <strong>Methods:</strong> In this study, a systematic review was used, and the required information, with the purpose of focusing on the research question, was retrieved, evaluated, and integrated. <strong>Results:</strong> The results of analyzing the data of 11 selected papers with the inclusion criteria and keywords specified from 2007 to 2014 in line with the research question suggests that there are various methods to reduce the Emergency Department Length Of Stay (EDLOS) of patients which are summarized in several classes. Equipping and improving of existing facilities in emergency departments, such as triage, observation units, operating and testing rooms, and advanced imaging needed by patients as well as modifying caring processes and adequate staffing are listed as the most important factors affecting the reduced length of stay. <strong>Conclusion: </strong> Improving existing structures in the emergency department, facilitating the processes of care, and providing adequate staffing are among the factors that significantly cause the reduced EDLOS. The reduced EDLOS, as a result, causes overcrowding to be reduced, the capacity to accept new patients as well as patient and nurses satisfaction to be increased, and also the quality of medical care to be improved.