Strategies for Reducing Access Block and Waiting Time for Patients Seeking Emergency Hospital Care: Results of a Ward-Level Discrete Event Simulation at Queensland's Largest Public Hospitals.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

To assess the impact of strategies to improve public hospital emergency access using a detailed ward-level simulation modelling approach.

Design and setting

Discrete event simulation was used to simulate patient flow at three principal referral Australian hospitals from 1 September 2021 to 31 August 2022. Models were developed and validated using every emergency department (ED) presentation, inpatient episode of care and patient ward movement at the study hospitals.

Main outcome measures

Mean and total ED length of stay, mean waiting time, access block rate, 4-h rule compliance and bed utilisation for patients admitted from the ED.

Results

Reducing ED demand via arrangements that accommodate the same proportion and types of admissions from the ED as t

SUBMITTER: Hassanzadeh H 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12946774 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature