Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 26, 2026
06:59
A Novel Approach for the Administration of Medications and Fluids in Emergency Scenarios and Settings
Published on: November 9, 2016
Emergency medicine: an operations management view.
Olan A Soremekun1, Christian Terwiesch, Jesse M Pines
1Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, USA. olanrewaju.soremekun@uphs.upenn.edu
Summary
Operations management (OM) principles can optimize emergency department (ED) processes to reduce crowding. Key strategies include managing waiting time formulas and improving efficiency frontiers by reducing waste, variability, and increasing flexibility.
Area of Science:
- Operations Management
- Healthcare Management
- Emergency Medicine
Background:
- Emergency departments (EDs) face significant challenges with crowding, impacting patient care.
- Operations Management (OM) offers principles to improve efficiency and patient flow in healthcare settings.
- Waiting time is a critical factor in patient-centered emergency care.
Purpose of the Study:
- To apply Operations Management principles to alleviate emergency department crowding.
- To explain the implications of the waiting time formula in the ED context.
- To introduce the efficient frontier concept for evaluating ED performance.
Main Methods:
- Utilized the waiting time formula, incorporating activity time, utilization rate, and variation measures.
- Applied the efficient frontier concept to analyze ED responsiveness and utilization.
- Identified strategies for improving ED performance: eliminating waste, reducing variability, and increasing flexibility.
Main Results:
- Understanding the waiting time formula identifies key parameters for managing ED wait times and length of stay.
- The efficient frontier framework highlights opportunities for EDs to improve responsiveness and utilization.
- Strategies to move toward the efficient frontier include waste elimination, variability reduction, and flexibility enhancement.
Conclusions:
- Operations Management principles provide a robust framework for addressing ED crowding.
- Managing waiting time parameters and striving for the efficient frontier are crucial for ED optimization.
- Interventions focused on waste, variability, and flexibility are essential for enhancing ED performance and patient care.
Related Concept Videos
01:30Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation V: Advanced Airway Management Techniques
Airway management is essential in emergency and surgical medicine, ensuring ventilation and oxygenation in patients who cannot maintain their own airway. Clinicians use a range of techniques and devices to secure the airway, depending on the patient’s condition and the clinical context. Key methods include endotracheal intubation, rapid sequence intubation (RSI), supraglottic airway devices, and advanced visualization aids. In cases where these approaches fail, surgical airway interventions are...
01:30Heart Failure V: Medical Management
Medical Management of Acute Decompensated Heart Failure (ADHF)The primary goals of therapy for patients hospitalized with acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF) include:Relieving symptomsOptimizing volume statusSupporting oxygenation and ventilationMaintaining cardiac output (CO) and end-organ perfusionIdentifying and addressing the cause of ADHFPreventing complicationsProviding patient education on factors precipitating HF exacerbationPlanning for dischargeOngoing monitoring and assessment...
01:25Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation IV: Pharmacological Management
Pharmacologic intervention is crucial in treating cardiac arrest patients during ACLS or Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support. The ACLS algorithms guide the administration of specific drugs based on the patient's cardiac arrest rhythm, which includes pulseless ventricular tachycardia (VT), ventricular fibrillation (VF), asystole, and pulseless electrical activity (PEA).EpinephrineIndication: Epinephrine is the first-line drug for all cardiac arrest rhythms.Mechanism of Action: Epinephrine...
01:28Cardiomyopathy VII: Pre and Post Operative Nursing Management
Patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) and left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT) obstruction who remain symptomatic despite optimal medical therapy may undergo a septal myectomy (Morrow procedure). This procedure involves excising a portion of the hypertrophied septum below the aortic valve using a heart-lung machine to improve blood flow through the LVOT. Effective preoperative and postoperative nursing management ensures successful patient outcomes, minimizes complications, and...
01:15Methods of Documentation VI: Case Management Model
The case management model is a multidisciplinary approach that involves healthcare professionals from diverse disciplines, such as physicians, nurses, therapists, social workers, and pharmacists, working collaboratively to address the various needs of patients. Each healthcare professional brings unique expertise and perspectives, contributing to a more comprehensive understanding of the patient's condition and tailoring treatment plans accordingly.
For example, a patient with a chronic illness...
For example, a patient with a chronic illness...
01:22Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation II: ACLS Airway Management
Airway management is a key skill in emergency and critical care settings, as maintaining a clear airway is essential for adequate oxygenation and ventilation.Head Tilt-Chin Lift TechniqueThe head tilt-chin lift maneuver is an essential technique primarily used in patients without suspected cervical spine injuries. To perform this maneuver, one hand is placed on the patient’s forehead, and gentle pressure is applied backward to tilt the head. The fingertips of the other hand are positioned under...