An Integrative Literature Review of Organisational Factors Associated with Admission and Discharge Delays in Critical Care

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Author(s)
Peltonen, Laura-Maria
McCallum, Louise
Siirala, Eriikka
Haataja, Marjaana
Lundgren-Laine, Helja
Salantera, Sanna
Lin, Frances
Griffith University Author(s)
Year published
2015
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Current literature shows that delayed admission to the intensive care unit (ICU) and discharge delays from the ICU are associated with increased adverse events and higher costs. Identifying factors related to these delays will provide information to clinical practice improvements, which contribute to better patient outcomes. The aim of this integrative review was to explore the incidence of patients' admission and discharge delays in critical care and to identify the organisational factors associated with these delays. Seven studies were included in the review. The major findings are: 1) admission and discharge delays are a ...
View more >Current literature shows that delayed admission to the intensive care unit (ICU) and discharge delays from the ICU are associated with increased adverse events and higher costs. Identifying factors related to these delays will provide information to clinical practice improvements, which contribute to better patient outcomes. The aim of this integrative review was to explore the incidence of patients' admission and discharge delays in critical care and to identify the organisational factors associated with these delays. Seven studies were included in the review. The major findings are: 1) admission and discharge delays are a common problem mostly due to organisational factors, occurring in 38% of admissions and 22-67% of discharges, 2) explanatory research about discharge delays is scarce and a limited number of studies on admission delays were found, and 3) redesigning care processes by improving information management and coordination between units and interdisciplinary teams could reduce discharge delays. In conclusion, patient outcomes can be improved through efficient and safe care processes. More exploratory research is needed to identify factors that contribute to the admission and discharge delays to provide evidence for clinical practice improvements. Shortening delays requires an interdisciplinary and multifaceted approach to the whole patient flow process.
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View more >Current literature shows that delayed admission to the intensive care unit (ICU) and discharge delays from the ICU are associated with increased adverse events and higher costs. Identifying factors related to these delays will provide information to clinical practice improvements, which contribute to better patient outcomes. The aim of this integrative review was to explore the incidence of patients' admission and discharge delays in critical care and to identify the organisational factors associated with these delays. Seven studies were included in the review. The major findings are: 1) admission and discharge delays are a common problem mostly due to organisational factors, occurring in 38% of admissions and 22-67% of discharges, 2) explanatory research about discharge delays is scarce and a limited number of studies on admission delays were found, and 3) redesigning care processes by improving information management and coordination between units and interdisciplinary teams could reduce discharge delays. In conclusion, patient outcomes can be improved through efficient and safe care processes. More exploratory research is needed to identify factors that contribute to the admission and discharge delays to provide evidence for clinical practice improvements. Shortening delays requires an interdisciplinary and multifaceted approach to the whole patient flow process.
View less >
Journal Title
BioMed Research International
Volume
2015
Copyright Statement
© 2015 Laura-Maria Peltonen et al. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Subject
Biological sciences
Information and computing sciences
Acute care