Date of Conferral
2023
Degree
Doctor of Business Administration (D.B.A.)
School
Business Administration
Advisor
Roger Mayer
Abstract
AbstractOvercrowding in emergency departments (EDs) is a systemic issue, resulting in inefficiencies affecting patient care quality. Hospital leaders struggle with reducing bottlenecks in EDs and providing a better patient care experience. Grounded in the general systems theory, the purpose of this qualitative single case study was to explore strategies used to reduce inefficiencies in EDs. The participants included five directors, administrators, and clinical managers from a hospital ED in Idaho Falls, Idaho, who successfully used strategies to reduce inefficiencies in EDs. Data were analyzed from semistructured interviews and a review of organization documents and artifacts following Yin’s five-step data analysis process. Three themes emerged: communication, triage and workflow, and staffing. A key recommendation for healthcare leaders is communicating, sharing information, and increasing collaboration between clinical staff and patients. The implications for positive social change include the potential to improve efficiencies in EDs, which could potentially benefit the care of citizens of local communities.
Recommended Citation
Jones, Judith Faith, "Strategies to Increase Emergency Department Patient Flow" (2023). Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies. 14233.
https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/14233
