Best Practices for Mitigating Ambulance ED Delays
We’re in a perfect storm! In many communities, the Delta Variant has stressed healthcare systems to the max, and dramatically increased EMS response volume. Staffing in EMS and hospitals is critically low, hospitals are nearly full, and 911 call volume in some communities at record levels. The eye of this storm is the hospital emergency department. Patient volume at record levels, patients in the ED on observation status, and even patients awaiting inpatient beds are resulting in delays for ambulance crews trying to transition patients from their care to the ED staff. Numerous agencies across the country are reporting 60, 90, and 120+ minute delays getting patients into the ED. At the same time, some hospitals are seemingly able release EMS crews rather quickly, so they can respond to other 911 calls in the community.
A panel of experts for AIMHI member agencies, EMS legal and EMTALA experts, representatives from Centers for Medicare and Medicaid, and hospitals who have seemed to master the EMS turnaround speed will share their best practices for mitigating ED delays, and the legal consequences of ambulance parking. AIMHI will also present the results of their FLASH POLL on ED turnaround delays, and data from nearly 6 million patient care records from ESO will be presented to quantify the gravity of this challenging issue.
Speakers
David R. Wright
Director, Quality, Safety & Oversight Group
Center for Clinical Standards and Quality (CCSQ) / CMS
Steve Wirth, Esq., EMT-P
Partner
Page, Wolfberg and Wirth, LLC
James "Jimmy" Pierson
President & COO
Medic Ambulance
Ken Simpson
CEO
Medstar Mobile Healthcare
Matt Zavadsky
Chief Transformation Officer
Medstar Mobile Healthcare
Moderator
Adam Heinz
Executive Director of Integrated Health
REMSA Health
Jonathan D. Washko, MBA, FACPE, NRP, AEMD
AVP, Center for EMS
Northwell Health
Craig Hare
Director
Pinellas County EMS & Fire Administration
Patricia Kunz Howard, RN, PhD, CEN, CPEN, NE-BC, FAEN, FAAN
Enterprise Director, Emergency Services
University of Kentucky Healthcare
Dr. Heidi Knowles
Physician – Emergency Department
JPS Health Network
Chris Cook, Manager
Emergency Services, Emergency Department
JPS Health Network
Richard Ferron
Deputy Chief of Operations
Niagara EMS
