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Updated framework on quality and safety in emergency medicine

Hansen, Kim; Boyle, Adrian; Holroyd, Brian; Phillips, Georgina; Benger, Jonathan; Chartier, Lucas B; Lecky, Fiona; Vaillancourt, Samuel; Cameron, Peter; Waligora, Grzegorz; Kurland, Lisa; Truesdale, Melinda

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Authors

Kim Hansen

Adrian Boyle

Brian Holroyd

Georgina Phillips

Jonathan Benger

Lucas B Chartier

Fiona Lecky

Samuel Vaillancourt

Peter Cameron

Grzegorz Waligora

Lisa Kurland

Melinda Truesdale



Abstract

Objectives Quality and safety of emergency care is critical. Patients rely on emergency medicine (EM) for accessible, timely and high-quality care in addition to providing a ‘safety-net’ function. Demand is increasing, creating resource challenges in all settings. Where EM is well established, this is recognised through the implementation of quality standards and staff training for patient safety. In settings where EM is developing, immense system and patient pressures exist, thereby necessitating the availability of tiered standards appropriate to the local context.

Methods The original quality framework arose from expert consensus at the International Federation of Emergency Medicine (IFEM) Symposium for Quality and Safety in Emergency Care (UK, 2011). The IFEM Quality and Safety Special Interest Group members have subsequently refined it to achieve a consensus in 2018.

Results Patients should expect EDs to provide effective acute care. To do this, trained emergency personnel should make patient-centred, timely and expert decisions to provide care, supported by systems, processes, diagnostics, appropriate equipment and facilities. Enablers to high-quality care include appropriate staff, access to care (including financial), coordinated emergency care through the whole patient journey and monitoring of outcomes. Crowding directly impacts on patient quality of care, morbidity and mortality. Quality indicators should be pragmatic, measurable and prioritised as components of an improvement strategy which should be developed, tailored and implemented in each setting.

Conclusion EDs globally have a remit to deliver the best care possible. IFEM has defined and updated an international consensus framework for quality and safety.

Citation

Hansen, K., Boyle, A., Holroyd, B., Phillips, G., Benger, J., Chartier, L. B., …Truesdale, M. (2020). Updated framework on quality and safety in emergency medicine. Emergency Medicine Journal, 37(7), 437-442. https://doi.org/10.1136/emermed-2019-209290

Journal Article Type Article
Acceptance Date Feb 8, 2020
Online Publication Date May 13, 2020
Publication Date Jul 2, 2020
Deposit Date Nov 2, 2021
Publicly Available Date Mar 29, 2024
Journal Emergency Medicine Journal
Print ISSN 1472-0205
Electronic ISSN 1472-0213
Publisher BMJ Publishing Group
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 37
Issue 7
Pages 437-442
DOI https://doi.org/10.1136/emermed-2019-209290
Keywords Critical Care and Intensive Care Medicine; General Medicine; Emergency Medicine
Public URL https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/8044590

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