EZFLOW: Effect of rapid assessment by an Emergency physician in combination with priority lab testing

Rationale: Crowding in the emergency departments (EDs) is a considerable challenge in the current health care system. Frequent episodes of crowding and prolonged waiting times force EDs to operate beyond their capacity and threaten patient outcomes. Various studies have shown that faster laboratory results decreased time to treatment initiation and shorten processing times. In addition recent studies found that rapid assessment by an emergency specialist shorten the amount of time patients spend on the emergency department (ED). We wish to investigate the effect of the combination of early rapid assessment by an emergency specialist and fast, priority lab testing (PLT).

Objective:To determine if rapid assessment by an emergency specialist in combination with priority lab testing reduces time from arrival to ‘emergency department ready’ compared with current approach.

Study design: The EZFLOW project is a mono-centre, evaluation study of introduction of a new logistic process.

Study population: patients aged 18 and older, who present to our ED.

Intervention: Directly after arrival in the ED rapid assessment of all included patients will be performed by an emergency specialist and priority lab testing will be ordered.

Main study parameters/endpoints: Time from arrival in the ED till ‘emergency department ready’ (EDR).