Design of the Academic Emergency Department

This article introduces a clinical audience to the process of emergency department (ED) design, particularly relating to academic EDs. It explains some of the major terms, processes, and key decisions that clinical staff will experience as participants in the design process. Topics covered include an overview of the planning and design process, issues related to determining needed patient capacity, the impact of patient flow models on design, and a description of several common ED design types and their advantages and disadvantages.