Outcomes of Establishing an Urgent Care Centre in the Same Location as an Emergency Department

Raidla, AnnelieEmergency Department at Östra Hospital, Sahlgrenska University Hospital; Gothenburg Emergency Research Group (GEMREG), Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden (author)

This article belongs to the Special Issue Emergencies and Public Health Crisis Management- Current Perspectives on Risks and Multiagency Collaboration.
The emergency department (ED) is one of the busiest facilities in a hospital, and it is frequently described as a bottleneck that limits space and structures, jeopardising surge capacity during Major Incidents and Disasters (MIDs) and pandemics such as the COVID 19 outbreak. One remedy to facilitate surge capacity is to establish an Urgent Care Centre (UCC), i.e., a secondary ED, co-located and in close collaboration with an ED. This study investigates the outcome of treatment in an ED versus a UCC in terms of length of stay (LOS), time to physician (TTP) and use of medical services. If it was possible to make these parameters equal to or even less than the ED, UCCs could be used as supplementary units to the ED, improving sustainability. The results show reduced waiting times at the UCC, both in terms of TTP and LOS. In conclusion, creating a primary care-like facility in close proximity to the hospitals may not only relieve overcrowding of the hospital's ED in peacetime, but it may also provide an opportunity for use during MIDs and pandemics to facilitate the victims of the incident and society as a whole.

Darro, KatrinEmergency Department at Östra Hospital, Sahlgrenska University Hospital; Gothenburg Emergency Research Group (GEMREG), Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden (author)
Carlson, TobiasGothenburg Emergency Research Group (GEMREG), Sahlgrenska University Hospital; Center of Emergency Department Development, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden (author)
Khorram-Manesh, Amir,1958Gothenburg University,Göteborgs universitet,Institutionen för kliniska vetenskaper, Avdelningen för kirurgi,Institute of Clinical Sciences, Department of Surgery(Swepub:gu)xkhoam (author)
Berlin, Johan,1975-Högskolan Väst,Avdelningen för socialt arbete och socialpedagogik(Swepub:gu)xberlj (author)
Carlström, Eric,1957Gothenburg University,Göteborgs universitet,Centrum för personcentrerad vård vid Göteborgs universitet (GPCC),Institutionen för vårdvetenskap och hälsa,University of Gothenburg Centre for person-centred care (GPCC),Institute of Health and Care Sciences(Swepub:gu)xcaers (author)
Darro, Kersitn (author)
Emergency Department at Östra Hospital, Sahlgrenska University Hospital; Gothenburg Emergency Research Group (GEMREG), Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, SwedenGothenburg Emergency Research Group (GEMREG), Sahlgrenska University Hospital; Center of Emergency Department Development, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden (creator_code:org_t)

By the author/editor: Raidla, Annelie; Darro, Katrin; Carlson, Tobias; Khorram-Manesh, ...; Berlin, Johan, 1 ...; Carlström, Eric, ...; show more...; Darro, Kersitn; show less...

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MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES: MEDICAL AND HEAL ...; and Health Sciences; and Nursing

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES: MEDICAL AND HEAL ...; and Health Sciences; and Health Care Serv ...

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