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A Research Agenda to Assure Equity During Periods of Emergency Department Crowding
Author(s) -
Hwang Ula,
Weber Ellen J.,
Richardson Lynne D.,
Sweet Vicki,
Todd Knox,
Abraham Gallane,
Ankel Felix
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
academic emergency medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.221
H-Index - 124
eISSN - 1553-2712
pISSN - 1069-6563
DOI - 10.1111/j.1553-2712.2011.01233.x
Subject(s) - crowding , psychological intervention , equity (law) , medicine , crowding out , emergency department , health equity , health care , quality (philosophy) , family medicine , public health , nursing , economic growth , political science , psychology , economics , monetary economics , law , philosophy , epistemology , neuroscience
ACADEMIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE 2011; 18:1318–1323 © 2011 by the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine Abstract The effect of emergency department (ED) crowding on equitable care is the least studied of the domains of quality as defined by the Institute of Medicine (IOM). Inequities in access and treatment throughout the health care system are well documented in all fields of medicine. While there is little evidence demonstrating that inequity is worsened by crowding, theory and evidence from social science disciplines, as well as known barriers to care for vulnerable populations, would suggest that crowding will worsen inequities. To design successful interventions, however, it is important to first understand how crowding can result in disparities and base interventions on these mechanisms. A research agenda is proposed to understand mechanisms that may threaten equity during periods of crowding and design and test potential interventions that may ensure the equitable aspect of quality of care.