Prisma Health Oconee Memorial Hospital Emergency Department
Seneca, South Carolina
Prisma Health Oconee Memorial Hospital Emergency Department
Oconee Memorial’s emergency department is a 44-bed unit serving nearly 54,000 patients annually. As a primary stroke center and a South Carolina Pediatric Readiness-designated facility, the ED focused on improving key metrics such as left-without-being-seen and admission times.
In calendar year 2024, the ED achieved an LWBS rate of 0.27 percent, reflecting a 52.6 percent improvement through refined workflows, efficient discharge processes and enhanced team coordination. A provider in triage and “quick look registered nurse” were placed at the front of triage to initiate early assessments, expedite care and improve flow. Lower-acuity patients were directed to care initiation rooms, bypassing the main ED to reduce congestion.
In 2023, the ED began transferring admitted patients to inpatient units within 30 minutes of bed assignment. The medical-surgical unit, which received the most ED admissions, saw an increase from 862 admissions in 2023 to 1,089 in 2024. However, only 25 percent of admissions met the 30-minute goal by 2024. The ED and med-surg teams improved throughput efficiency to 36 percent of admissions within 30 minutes, supporting timely care and sustained ED capacity.
In 2023, the ED began transferring admitted patients to inpatient units within 30 minutes of bed assignment. The medical-surgical unit, which received the most ED admissions, saw an increase from 862 admissions in 2023 to 1,089 in 2024. However, only 25 percent of admissions met the 30-minute goal by 2024. The ED and med-surg teams improved throughput efficiency to 36 percent of admissions within 30 minutes, supporting timely care and sustained ED capacity.