> I agree. I am also getting increasingly uncomfortable about
> the four hour limit. If we want to move towards
> the Australian model, they tend to hold and treat patients
> for 24 hours before moving them into the
> hospital proper.
This is not a problem with the 4 hour limit. The 4 hour limit means that
unless you are discharging the patient you need to get them to a bed within
4 hours (and 'bed' is further defined, but basically somewhere that is
reasonable comfortable and with a modicum of privacy). There is nothing in
this to stop patients from being moved to a more comfortable and private
area as soon as it becomes apparent that a decision to discharge cannot be
made within 4 hours; but still staying under the care of E. What the limit
does stop is patients waiting in an uncomfortable E cubicle with no privacy
(or on a trolley in the middle of the department) while awaiting results.
No problems moving to the Australian model with this- just have a ward
adjacent to E and move the patient there but E still looks after them- I
take it you're not advocating a patient spending 24 hours on a trolley.
Matt Dunn
Warwick
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