Effect of Provider-In-Triage Model on Emergency Department Efficacy

According to The Joint Commission (2019), appropriately managing the time a patient stays in the Emergency Department (ED) waiting room could affect the safety and quality of patient care. The Joint Commission published a standard (LD.04.03.11), which outlines the responsibilities of the hospital in managing patient flow through the ED. Various models of flow thorough the ED have been developed each with the goal of optimizing patient throughput for various outcome measures. Traditionally, ED models involved a nurse independently triaging patients and prioritizing highest acuity being seen first, termed nurse lead triage. Other models, such as provider in triage and split flow have emerged that may lend to further optimization of patient flow by redesigning the flow of patients through the ED and reconfiguring the triage team.