To reduce the length of stay for admitted patients, the Audie L. Murphy Memorial Veterans’ Hospital Emergency Department team implemented process improvements focused on

Audie L. Murphy Memorial Veterans’ Hospital Emergency Department

communication, real-time operational awareness and collaboration. A dedicated Microsoft Teams channel streamlined psychiatric admissions, which contributed to a 29 percent reduction in mental health admission delays. The 27-bed department also introduced a real-time surge alarm system to expedite patient transfers during high-demand periods through standardized escalation and bedside handoffs. Together, these initiatives improved patient flow, reduced transfer delays, enhanced interdisciplinary collaboration, increased patient satisfaction and created a sustainable model for efficient ED admissions and hospital throughput.

The department also reduced ED ambulance diversions and improved patient access by implementing a data-driven surge tracker and surge alarm protocol using the National Emergency Department Overcrowding Score to objectively assess capacity and guide operational decisions. With collaboration from inpatient leadership, standardized surge response plans and hospital-wide notifications improved situational awareness, accelerated patient flow and minimized diversion requests. Over the past eight quarters, ED diversion hours remained below the departmental goal of 0.03 percent per quarter, hitting nearly half of the previous record low and enabling more patients to receive timely care within the facility.