Penn Medicine – Chester County Hospital Emergency Department

West Chester, Pennsylvania

In 2022,the Penn Medicine – Chester County Hospital emergency department navigated the challenges posed by the closure of two local hospitals, including a hospital with the only behavioral health facility in the county, leading to a 30 percent increase in overall patient volume. To address this surge, the emergency department team implemented targeted strategies to enhance patient throughput. Notable improvements include the implementation of vertical care to decrease the length of stay for patients being discharged. Additionally, ED staff members collaborated with inpatient teams refining the handoff process from ED registered nurses to inpatient teams. This decreased the disposition to departure from the ED.

Enhancements were also made to the delivery of behavioral health care, including hiring behavioral health nurses to work in the ED to care for this specific patient population. As a result, the 43-bed ED served 2,545 behavioral health patients and achieved a remarkable 50 percent reduction in average length of stay, from 28.5 hours to 14.0 hours. These enhancements not only streamlined patient care but also fostered greater staff satisfaction, underscoring the team’s dedication to the well-being of both patients and employees in a demanding healthcare landscape.