News & Events
May 20, 2009
Hallway Boarding: Not the Solution
Why are hospitals 'admitting' ED patients to temporary hallway beds?
Drastic times call for drastic measures, but it appears that some hospitals are taking that philosophy to an extreme. To alleviate emergency department (ED) overcrowding, some facilities are "admitting" ED patients to temporary beds in the hallways of inpatient units until their rooms are available.
Imagine checking into a hotel and being escorted to a cot outside the room you were expecting to occupy. Now imagine doing it while in pain and under emotional stress, forced to wear a gown open in the rear as guests and hotel personnel continually flow past. Your bathroom is a port-a-potty behind a linen screen. Family members stand for hours waiting for you to get a room. All aspects of privacy are stripped away...
Click here to read the entire article from Advance for Health Information Executives.
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