Clinical Decision Unit (CDU) - Evaluation of a Novel Approach to Address Emergency Department Overcrowding
- Conditions
- Acute Illness
- Interventions
- Behavioral: Clinical Decision Unit
- Registration Number
- NCT00497393
- Lead Sponsor
- University of Alberta
- Brief Summary
This randomized controlled trial will introduce a Clinical Decision Unit (CDU) into the University of Alberta Hospital Emergency Department(ED)and assess the influence on ED length of stay, patients who leave without being seen, and other ED Overcrowding outcomes.
- Detailed Description
The study will take place over a 6-week period that will be spilt into three-two-week blocks. Using computerized blocks of 2 weeks, days of the week will be randomly allocated so that each day of the week receives one intervention (CDU) and one control day for the study period. The CDU involves transforming an ED bed location to a 6-chair internal waiting room with 2 adjacent beds assigned to act as assessment and treatment locations. Patients will transition between the chair and stretcher to optimize the use of ED space.
Recruitment & Eligibility
- Status
- COMPLETED
- Sex
- All
- Target Recruitment
- 6217
- Only adult patients (>17 years of age) presenting to the University of Alberta Hospital Emergency Department (UAH ED), during the study interval will be included in the evaluation.
- Direct admits/Pediatric patients.
Study & Design
- Study Type
- INTERVENTIONAL
- Study Design
- PARALLEL
- Arm && Interventions
Group Intervention Description Control Clinical Decision Unit regular use of the 2-bed areas in the Emergency department
- Primary Outcome Measures
Name Time Method Total ED length of stay in the Emergency Department
- Secondary Outcome Measures
Name Time Method Left without being seen (LWBS) rates in the Emergency Department nurse and physician satisfaction following Emergency Department shift ambulance turnaround times (time in the Emergency Department
Trial Locations
- Locations (1)
University of Alberta Hospital
🇨🇦Edmonton, Alberta, Canada