HOSPITAL ADMISSION VIA THE EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT

Your Emergency Department (ED) Physician may recommend that you go directly to hospital admission after ED treatment and interventions.  In which case, you need to know what to expect for a smooth transition.

Approximately 15% of ED patients require admission to the hospital for complete care.  This care requires examination by an on-call specialty physician.

WHAT TO EXPECT: 

Most, if not all of your diagnostic tests will be completed in the ED after order by the ED physician.  They may need to be reviewed by a specialist prior to decision to admit or discharge. This specialist has a contracted response time to see you, typically within 30 minutes to 4 hours of ED request.  

YOUR ROLE:

Be assertive in asking what the specialist response time is and when you can expect to see them. Be assertive about your expectation to be moved to the ordered level of care. Holding in the ED is called "boarding" and it is known to be associated with more complications and longer duration in your hospital stay.

WHAT TO EXPECT:

All staff and physicians will use hand gel or wash their hands each time they enter the room.

YOUR ROLE:  

If they don't, for your safety, ask them to do their hand hygiene.

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WHAT TO EXPECT:

Staff will verify your name band and date of birth each time they enter the room to provide treatment or share test results.