RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Updated framework on quality and safety in emergency medicine
JF Emergency Medicine Journal
JO Emerg Med J
FD BMJ Publishing Group Ltd and the British Association for Accident & Emergency Medicine
SP emermed-2019-209290
DO 10.1136/emermed-2019-209290
A1 Kim Hansen
A1 Adrian Boyle
A1 Brian Holroyd
A1 Georgina Phillips
A1 Jonathan Benger
A1 Lucas B Chartier
A1 Fiona Lecky
A1 Samuel Vaillancourt
A1 Peter Cameron
A1 Grzegorz Waligora
A1 Lisa Kurland
A1 Melinda Truesdale
A1 ,
YR 2020
UL http://emj.bmj.com/content/early/2020/05/13/emermed-2019-209290.abstract
AB 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.