The UK experience is sure to have a profound ripple effect around the world as governments and hospitals in their attempt to maximise ED efficiencies in the face of inadequate resourcing may have very serious but predictable consequences.
If administrative goals force already busy and over-stretched ED staff to cut corners more than they already must do, then some patients will suffer the consequence of inadequate management or observation.
Time based KPI’s are only a proxy for quality care indicators, and over-emphasis on these without appropriate recognition of the quality of care itself is fraught with danger.
We all want patient flow through ED’s to be efficient and the menace of bed access block and ED over-crowding to be eradicated – but not if it means quality of care is adversely impacted.
There are many lessons to be learned from this unfortunate experience.
just testing to see if they come