Tables - Estimates of Emergency Department Capacity: United States, 2007

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Tables – Estimates of Emergency Department Capacity: United States, 2007

Table 1a. Percent distribution of emergency departments and corresponding standard errors, by number of days in a week that elective surgeries are scheduled, according to emergency department visit volume and metropolitan status: United States, 2007
ED annual visit volume Metropolitan status
Total1 Less than 20,000 20,000 to 50,000 50,000 or more MSA Non-MSA
Number of days in a week that elective surgeries are scheduled All EDs SE Percent distribution SE Percent distribution SE Percent distribution SE Percent distribution SE Percent distribution SE
0-4 11.9 3.2 22.7 6.4 *0.7 0.7 *4.0 1.8 *4.2 1.9 27.4 8.2
5 58.2 3.9 58.5 7.2 61.5 5.2 50.9 5.2 57.5 4.0 59.5 8.4
6-7 13.6 2.4 *4.5 2.8 17.0 4.1 31.6 5.7 19.2 3.4 *2.3 2.1
Unknown or blank 16.3 2.9 *14.2 4.7 20.8 4.3 13.5 3.5 19.1 3.5 *10.8 4.8

See footnotes at end of Table 1o

Table 1b. Percent distribution of emergency departments and corresponding standard errors, by whether hospital has bed coordinator or bed czar, according to emergency department visit volume and metropolitan status: United States, 2007
ED annual visit volume Metropolitan status
Total1 Less than 20,000 20,000 to 50,000 50,000 or more MSA Non-MSA
Hospital has bed coordinator or bed czar All EDs SE Percent distribution SE Percent distribution SE Percent distribution SE Percent distribution SE Percent distribution SE
Yes 50.5 4.0 33.8 7.0 63.3 5.2 71.2 4.9 60.7 4.2 30.0 8.3
No 42.6 4.3 60.5 7.5 30.2 5.1 17.6 4.9 32.3 4.2 63.3 9.2
Unknown or blank 6.9 1.9 *5.6 3.3 *6.5 2.0 11.2 3.3 7.0 1.6 *6.7 4.6

See footnotes at end of Table 1o

Table 1c. Percent distribution of emergency departments and corresponding standard errors, by how often hospital bed census data are available, according to emergency department visit volume and metropolitan status: United States, 2007
ED annual visit volume Metropolitan status
Total1 Less than 20,000 20,000 to 50,000 50,000 or more MSA Non-MSA
How often hospital bed census data are available All EDs SE Percent distribution SE Percent distribution SE Percent distribution SE Percent distribution SE Percent distribution SE
Instantaneously 66.1 4.0 71.2 6.9 60.5 5.6 62.6 5.2 61.8 4.1 74.6 8.4
Every 4 hours 3.1 0.9 *0 … *5.1 2.7 *7.7 3.4 *4.7 1.3 *0 …
Every 8 hours *3.7 1.1 *2.2 1.3 *3.6 2.2 *8.3 3.0 *4.9 1.5 *1.5 1.4
Every 12 hours *2.8 1.4 *3.4 2.6 *2.5 1.8 *2.0 1.4 *4.3 2.1 *0 …
Every 24 hours 18.8 3.6 21.7 6.4 20.1 4.1 *8.4 2.6 17.2 3.5 22.0 8.4
Other *0.7 0.6 *1.3 1.3 *0 … *0.5 0.3 *0.1 0.1 *1.9 1.9
Unknown or blank 4.7 1.0 *0.2 0.2 8.1 2.4 10.5 2.9 7.1 1.6 *0 …

See footnotes at end of Table 1o

Table 1d. Percent distribution of emergency departments and corresponding standard errors, by whether ED uses electronic medical records, according to emergency department visit volume and metropolitan status: United States, 2007
ED annual visit volume Metropolitan status
Total1 Less than 20,000 20,000 to 50,000 50,000 or more MSA Non-MSA
ED uses electronic medical records All EDs SE Percent distribution SE Percent distribution SE Percent distribution SE Percent distribution SE Percent distribution SE
Yes, all electronic 18.9 3.4 *12.1 5.5 24.6 3.7 26.3 5.5 22.8 4.0 *10.9 6.2
Yes, part electronic 42.7 4.0 34.2 6.5 48.7 4.8 54.6 6.0 45.4 3.8 37.4 8.8
No 37.8 4.8 53.7 7.7 25.5 4.9 17.9 4.9 30.8 4.5 51.6 10.6
Unknown or blank *0.7 0.4 *0 … *1.3 0.9 *1.3 1.3 *1.0 0.6 *0 …

See footnotes at end of Table 1o

Table 1e. Percent distribution of emergency departments and corresponding standard errors, by whether ED has observation or clinical decision unit, according to emergency department visit volume and metropolitan status: United States, 2007
ED annual visit volume Metropolitan status
Total1 Less than 20,000 20,000 to 50,000 50,000 or more MSA Non-MSA
ED has observation or clinical decision unit All EDs SE Percent distribution SE Percent distribution SE Percent distribution SE Percent distribution SE Percent distribution SE
Yes 35.6 3.4 32.5 6.1 30.7 4.5 53.5 6.0 39.1 4.0 28.7 6.6
No 62.8 3.4 67.5 6.1 66.5 4.7 42.8 5.9 58.5 4.1 71.3 6.6
Unknown or blank *1.6 0.7 *0 … *2.9 1.6 *3.7 2.0 *2.5 1.0 *0 …

See footnotes at end of Table 1o

Table 1f. Percent distribution of emergency departments and corresponding standard errors, by whether observation or clinical decision unit is adminstratively part of the ED or inpatient side of the hospital, according to emergency department visit volume and metropolitan status: United States, 2007
ED annual visit volume Metropolitan status
Total1 Less than 20,000 20,000 to 50,000 50,000 or more MSA Non-MSA
Observation or clinical decision unit is adminstratively part of the ED or inpatient side of the hospital2 All EDs SE Percent distribution SE Percent distribution SE Percent distribution SE Percent distribution SE Percent distribution SE
Part of ED 51.5 6.1 * … 83.9 6.1 67.9 7.3 64.7 6.9 * …
Part of inpatient side of hospital 40.7 6.0 * … *7.5 3.8 28.7 7.2 24.5 5.9 * …
Unknown or blank *7.9 3.9 * … *8.6 5.1 *3.4 2.0 *10.8 5.3 * …

See footnotes at end of Table 1o

Table 1g. Percent distribution of emergency departments and corresponding standard errors, by whether admitted ED patients ever “boarded” for more than 2 hours in the ED while waiting for an inpatient bed, according to emergency department visit volume and metropolitan status: United States, 2007
ED annual visit volume Metropolitan status
Total1 Less than 20,000 20,000 to 50,000 50,000 or more MSA Non-MSA
Admitted ED patients ever “boarded” for more than 2 hours in the ED while waiting for an inpatient bed All EDs SE Percent distribution SE Percent distribution SE Percent distribution SE Percent distribution SE Percent distribution SE
Yes 62.5 4.5 39.0 7.7 83.3 3.5 86.5 4.6 77.4 3.8 32.8 9.1
No 34.8 4.5 61.0 7.7 11.9 3.1 *7.6 3.8 18.6 3.8 67.2 9.1
Unknown or blank *2.7 0.9 *0 … *4.8 2.0 *5.9 2.6 *4.0 1.3 *0 …

See footnotes at end of Table 1o

Table 1h. Percent distribution of emergency departments and corresponding standard errors, by whether ED is critically overloaded, admitted ED patients are “boarded” in inpatient hallways or in another space outside the ED, according to emergency department visit volume and metropolitan status: United States, 2007
ED annual visit volume Metropolitan status
Total1 Less than 20,000 20,000 to 50,000 50,000 or more MSA Non-MSA
If ED is critically overloaded, admitted ED patients are “boarded” in inpatient hallways or in another space outside the ED All EDs SE Percent distribution SE Percent distribution SE Percent distribution SE Percent distribution SE Percent distribution SE
Yes 14.8 2.9 *10.9 5.3 17.3 4.1 20.4 4.2 16.7 3.0 *10.9 6.6
No 80.1 3.3 85.5 5.8 75.2 5.1 74.4 4.2 78.6 3.4 83.0 7.5
Unknown or blank 5.2 1.5 *3.6 2.6 *7.5 2.5 *5.2 2.3 4.7 1.4 *6.1 3.5

See footnotes at end of Table 1o

Table 1i. Percent distribution of emergency departments and corresponding standard errors, by whether ED went on ambulance diversion in 2006, according to emergency department visit volume and metropolitan status: United States, 2007
ED annual visit volume Metropolitan status
Total1 Less than 20,000 20,000 to 50,000 50,000 or more MSA Non-MSA
ED went on ambulance diversion in 2006 All EDs SE Percent distribution SE Percent distribution SE Percent distribution SE Percent distribution SE Percent distribution SE
Yes 22.0 2.5 *9.3 3.7 33.6 4.9 34.1 4.6 31.1 3.5 *3.7 2.5
No 54.7 3.8 75.5 6.1 41.6 6.1 23.5 4.8 41.2 4.2 81.7 7.1
Unknown or blank 23.3 3.2 *15.2 5.3 24.9 4.6 42.3 5.3 27.7 3.6 *14.6 6.7

See footnotes at end of Table 1o

Table 1j. Percent distribution of emergency departments and corresponding standard errors, by whether ambulance diversion is actively managed on a regional versus hospital level, according to emergency department visit volume and metropolitan status: United States, 2007
ED annual visit volume Metropolitan status
Total1 Less than 20,000 20,000 to 50,000 50,000 or more MSA Non-MSA
Ambulance diversion is actively managed on a regional versus hospital level All EDs SE Percent distribution SE Percent distribution SE Percent distribution SE Percent distribution SE Percent distribution SE
Yes 53.9 4.7 * … 47.9 6.4 63.8 5.9 53.0 4.4 * …
No 30.6 3.9 * … 40.0 6.0 24.6 5.1 35.0 4.1 * …
Unknown or blank 15.5 3.5 * … *12.1 3.8 *11.6 4.2 12.0 3.0 * …

See footnotes at end of Table 1o

Table 1k. Percent distribution of emergency departments and corresponding standard errors, by whether hospital continues to admit elective or scheduled surgery cases when ED is on ambulance diversion, according to emergency department visit volume and metropolitan status: United States, 2007
ED annual visit volume Metropolitan status
Total1 Less than 20,000 20,000 to 50,000 50,000 or more MSA Non-MSA
Hospital continues to admit elective or scheduled surgery cases when ED is on ambulance diversion All EDs SE Percent distribution SE Percent distribution SE Percent distribution SE Percent distribution SE Percent distribution SE
Yes 62.1 4.8 * … 64.6 6.3 72.9 5.9 62.1 4.7 * …
No 18.7 4.4 * … *14.5 5.0 8.0 3.1 18.7 4.3 * …
Unknown or blank 19.2 3.2 * … 20.8 4.9 19.2 5.4 19.3 3.5 * …

See footnotes at end of Table 1o

Table 1l. Percent distribution of emergency departments and corresponding standard errors, by whether ED increased the number of standard treatment spaces in last 2 years, according to emergency department visit volume and metropolitan status: United States, 2007
ED annual visit volume Metropolitan status
Total1 Less than 20,000 20,000 to 50,000 50,000 or more MSA Non-MSA
ED increased the number of standard treatment spaces in last 2 years All EDs SE Percent distribution SE Percent distribution SE Percent distribution SE Percent distribution SE Percent distribution SE
Yes 24.3 3.0 *13.8 4.8 31.1 4.0 39.6 4.9 32.4 3.2 *8.1 5.1
No 74.0 3.1 85.2 4.8 66.5 4.0 58.0 4.9 65.4 3.3 91.2 5.2
Unknown or blank *1.7 0.7 *1.0 1.0 *2.4 1.2 *2.4 1.4 *2.2 0.9 *0.7 0.7

See footnotes at end of Table 1o

Table 1m. Percent distribution of emergency departments and corresponding standard errors, by whether ED’s physical space was expanded in last 2 years, according to emergency department visit volume and metropolitan status: United States, 2007
ED annual visit volume Metropolitan status
Total1 Less than 20,000 20,000 to 50,000 50,000 or more MSA Non-MSA
ED’s physical space was expanded in last 2 years All EDs SE Percent distribution SE Percent distribution SE Percent distribution SE Percent distribution SE Percent distribution SE
Yes 19.5 3.0 *15.1 5.2 20.1 3.8 30.4 5.6 23.6 3.2 *11.3 5.7
No 78.1 3.2 84.9 5.2 75.1 4.4 65.6 5.7 74.3 3.3 85.7 6.4
Unknown or blank *2.4 1.1 *0 … *4.9 3.0 *3.9 2.0 *2.1 0.8 *2.9 2.9

See footnotes at end of Table 1o

Table 1n. Percent distribution of emergency departments and corresponding standard errors, by whether ED plans to expand physical space in next 2 years, according to emergency department visit volume and metropolitan status: United States, 2007
ED annual visit volume Metropolitan status
Total1 Less than 20,000 20,000 to 50,000 50,000 or more MSA Non-MSA
ED plans to expand physical space in next 2 years3 All EDs SE Percent distribution SE Percent distribution SE Percent distribution SE Percent distribution SE Percent distribution SE
Yes 31.5 4.0 23.0 6.7 43.7 6.1 34.8 6.3 38.6 4.8 *19.3 8.4
No 50.5 4.4 58.5 7.4 37.8 5.8 49.9 6.2 43.6 4.7 62.3 9.0
Unknown or blank 18.0 3.6 *18.4 6.2 18.5 4.4 *15.3 4.6 17.8 3.8 *18.4 7.2

See footnotes at end of Table 1o

Table 1o. Percent distribution of emergency departments and corresponding standard errors, by ED uses, according to emergency department visit volume and metropolitan status: United States, 2007
ED annual visit volume Metropolitan status
Total1 Less than 20,000 20,000 to 50,000 50,000 or more MSA Non-MSA
ED uses All EDs SE Percent distribution SE Percent distribution SE Percent distribution SE Percent distribution SE Percent distribution SE
Bedside registration 66.1 4.6 54.2 7.6 71.0 5.6 89.0 3.0 70.3 4.7 57.7 9.8
Computer-assisted triage 40.0 3.4 24.3 5.8 50.7 4.7 62.2 5.4 51.6 3.8 *16.9 6.1
Separate fast track unit for nonurgent care 33.8 3.3 *9.7 3.4 49.3 5.4 69.3 5.1 44.7 4.5 *12.0 5.1
Separate operating room dedicated to ED patients *3.7 1.3 *2.8 2.4 *2.6 0.9 *8.1 2.6 3.8 0.9 *3.5 3.4
Electronic dashboard4 35.2 4.0 *13.2 5.0 53.3 5.1 60.2 5.3 45.9 4.7 *13.8 5.7
Radio frequency identification tracking5 9.8 2.1 *4.5 3.0 12.5 3.5 19.0 4.2 12.4 2.3 *4.7 3.8
Zone nursing6 35.3 3.2 19.0 5.1 44.6 5.5 61.9 5.1 43.9 4.4 *18.3 6.2
“Pool” nurses7 33.2 3.5 27.5 6.3 41.1 5.3 33.6 5.8 38.3 4.0 23.1 8.3
Full capacity protocol8 21.1 2.9 16.5 5.2 23.4 4.4 29.1 5.3 24.8 3.1 *13.8 6.3
None of the above 13.1 3.2 25.6 6.5 *2.1 1.3 *0 … *8.3 3.2 *22.4 7.3

… Category not applicable.

* Figure does not meet standards of reliablity or precision. Only an asterisk (*) appears in the table if the estimate is based on fewer than 30 cases in the sample data. Estimates based on 30 or more cases include an asterisk if the relative standard error of the estimate exceeds 30 percent. 0 Quantity equals zero. 0.0 Quantity more than zero, but less than 0.05.

1 Number of sampled records: All emergency departments (N=337); Fewer than 20,000 (N=66); 20,000-50,000 (N=140); Over 50,000 (N=131); Metropolitan area (N=292); and Not metropolitan area (N=45).

2 Denominator is number of EDs with observation or clinical decision units.

3 Denominator is number of EDs that did not expand their physical space in the last 2 years.

4 An electronic dashboard displays updated patient information and integrates multiple data sources.

5 Radio frequency identification tracking shows the exact location of patients, caregivers, and equipment.

6 Zone nursing refers to all of a nurse’s patients being located in one area.

7 “Pool” nurses are those that can be pulled to the ED to respond to surges in demand.

8 A full capacity protocol allows some admitted patients to move from the ED to inpatient corridors while awaiting a bed.

NOTE: ED is emergency department, MSA is metropolitan statistical area, and SE is standard error.

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Page last reviewed: November 6, 2015
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