The influence of crowding on clinical practice in the emergency department

This study aimed to clarify the association between the crowding and clinical practice in the emergency department (ED). This 1-year retrospective cohort study conducted in two EDs in Taiwan included 70,222 adult non-trauma visits during the day shift between July 1, 2011, and June 30, 2012. The ED occupancy status, determined by the number of patients staying during their time of visit, was used to measure crowding, grouped into four quartiles, and analyzed in reference to the clinical practice. The clinical practices included decision-making time, patient length of stay, patient disposition, and use of laboratory examinations and computed tomography (CT). The four quartiles of occupancy statuses determined by the number of patients staying during their time of visit were 62. Comparing >62 and