Mapping the 24-Hour Emergency Department Cycle to Improve Patient Flow

Although it is unclear whether or not these patterns will be applicable to other hospitals in and out of the cohort of tertiary care hospitals, ED cycle data can help all facilities anticipate the resources needed and the services required for efficient patient flow. For example, the fact that scheduling of most service departments falls off after 5:00 p.m., just when the ED is most in need of those services, illustrates a fundamental mismatch between service capacity and demand.