https://doi.org/10.4081/itjm.2024.1714

Overcrowding in emergency departments: strategies and solutions for an effective reorganization

Vol. 18 No. 1 (2024)
Published: 21 March 2024
Emergency department, overcrowding, management, crowding, emergency service
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Authors

Chiara Busti
Emergency Department, AUSL UMBRIA1 Gubbio, Gualdo Tadino Hospital, Perugia, Italy.
Roberto Marchetti
Villa Maraini Foundation, Rome, Italy.
Manuel Monti
montimanuel@tiscali.it
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0478-110X
Emergency Department, AUSL UMBRIA1 Gubbio, Gualdo Tadino Hospital, Perugia, Italy.

Overcrowding in emergency departments (EDs) is a common and worldwide phenomenon, widely reported even by the non-specialist press. It contributes to a number of consequences that can affect both the number of resources available and the quality of care. Strategies to address this incriminating situation for patients, nurses, doctors, and hospital administrators are urgently needed. For this reason, and based on the input from the Ministry of Health, a series of projects and procedures have been developed in various Italian regions, aimed at reducing the waiting times and the diagnostic-therapeutic process of patients arriving in the ED. In this article, we will examine the main critical issues within EDs and discuss the most impactful strategies and solutions to manage these difficulties.

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How to Cite

Busti, C., Marchetti, R., & Monti, M. (2024). Overcrowding in emergency departments: strategies and solutions for an effective reorganization. Italian Journal of Medicine, 18(1). https://doi.org/10.4081/itjm.2024.1714
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