Exploration of clinicians' decision-making regarding transfer of patient care from the emergency department to a medical assessment unit: A qualitative study.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Hospitals face immense pressures in balancing patient throughput. Medical assessment units have emerged as a commonplace response to improve the flow of medical patients presenting to the emergency department requiring hospital admission and to ease overcrowding in the emergency department. The aim of this study was to understand factors influencing the decision-making behaviour of key stakeholders involved in the transfer of care of medical patients from one service to the other in a large, tertiary teaching hospital in Queensland, Australia.

Methods

We used a qualitative approach drawing on data from focus groups with key informant health and professional staff involved in the transfer of care. A theoretically-informed, semi-structured focus group guide was used

SUBMITTER: Cleak H 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8812931 | biostudies-literature | 2022

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature