Solutions

Solutions powered by
Learn More.
Frame 586 (1)

Quality Manager formerly known as abaqis®

Mitigate risk and elevate your quality of care. Improving both clinical and business outcomes starts with a smarter, more integrated approach to regulatory training, continuing education and quality management.

Learn More

NEW TO THE STORE

hStream Content Marketplace

Connecting you to the Best Content. Access to 75 Partners and 35,000+ Courses in our Industry-Leading Marketplace. Streamline content purchasing, updates, hosting and connectivity for your organizational needs.

NurseGrid Learn

Online store for Clinical Learners. Individual CE Credit and industry products for Clinical Learners are now available through NurseGrid Learn (Beta). Explore our robust collection of courses that provides an unparalleled level of flexibility and choice.

DEA MATE Opioid and Substance Use for Practitioners

Meet the DEA's new requirement under the Medication Access and Training Expansion (MATE) Act in an online and self-paced 8-hour DEA MATE Act course specifically designed for practitioners, including Physicians, PAs, NPs, Pharmacists, Dentists and others.

LATEST & POPULAR

BLOG

Join Us at Thrive24: The Ultimate HealthStream Credentialing User Group Conference!
BLOG

Gen Z Enters the Workforce: How Healthcare Can Adapt Training Programs for the Next Generation
BLOG

Telehealth: From Pandemic Tool to Preferred Option
On-Demand Webinar

State of the Industry: What’s Next for Healthcare Quality & Safety in 2024?
CUSTOMER STORY

Quantifiable results highlight switch to jane®
ARTICLE

10 Trends for 2024: Absorbing New Technology, Facing New Realities, and Solving Old Problems

< HealthStream Resources

What It Takes To Be a Successful Hospital Emergency Department

April 1, 2021
April 1, 2021

Are you curious about what it takes to outperform your emergency department peers and sustain that level of performance year after year? One of the most common questions we get as we work with our Patient Insights customers is “what are your top performers doing to be so successful?” Each year, as we compile our national emergency department database we are struck by the consistency of the facilities that rank at the top.

We contacted the directors of some of the most successful emergency departments among our customer base to learn what they do differently and to see what they believe will be their biggest challenges in the months to come. This article looks at their feedback and attempts to unlock the secrets to their success.

Where Will Top ED Performers Focus Their Efforts in 2014?

Most of us are able to quickly list a number of challenges that occur on a daily basis in the emergency department. From volume and throughput issues to caring for the uninsured and staffing shortages, challenges are not in short supply. So, we asked our Top ED Performers to rank where they anticipate focusing their efforts over the next 12 months.

A Focus on Patient Experience and Patient Satisfaction

The vast majority said they anticipate placing the most attention on the patient experience and patient satisfaction. It comes as no surprise that those with the highest patient experience scores plan to continue their efforts. Sustaining high scores is a long-term endeavor that is never finished, and it is no accident that these facilities achieve the highest patient satisfaction scores. It is also right in line the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ (CMS) plan to soon require that hospital emergency departments collect patient experience ratings through a new CAHPS survey.

The New ED-CAHPS Survey Ranks High

We anticipate that those currently performing at the top of our ED database will continue to be successful on the new ED-CAHPS survey. Following close behind patient satisfaction are patient safety and quality, strategic planning, and inter-departmental collaboration. Our findings are very similar to those reported in The Beryl Institute’s 2013 State of Patient Experience survey findings. In the Beryl study, respondents rated the top priorities as:

  • Patient Experience/Satisfaction (70%) 
  • Quality/Patient Safety (63%)

ED Patient Volumes Expected to Rise

Not ranked in the list, but mentioned as another challenge that our top performers expect to face in the coming months is an increase in patient volumes. An unexpected early consequence of the Affordable Care Act has been increased utilization of the emergency department among the newly insured. Industry experts and healthcare workers alike are predicting that the newly-insured will have trouble navigating the system and will increasingly turn to the emergency department for care instead. As a result of higher volumes, many expect challenges with patient throughput and maintaining shorter wait times.

This article also includes:

  • Collaboration and Accountability in the ED
  • Specific Examples of How Top Performers Improve the Patient Experience in Their Emergency Departments
  • Reviewing ED Patient Experience Results
  • Increased Transparency—A New CAHPS Survey for the Emergency Department
  • How Wait Times in the Emergency Department Affect PX Scores