Citation

Heflin K, Rosen BJ, Costanzo R, Ballard J, Fetter JC. Health Secur. 2023; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2023, Mary Ann Liebert Publishers)

DOI

10.1089/hs.2022.0127

PMID

37184664

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic forced unprecedented challenges for emergency department operations during the spring of 2020. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, psychiatric boarding in emergency departments required a substantial amount of staffing and administrative resources. This case study describes one state's efforts to rapidly decrease psychiatric boarding by 93% in 2 weeks with a multipronged approach, and simultaneously minimal effects observed on outcome measures of psychiatric hospital readmissions and suicide rates. Lessons learned are discussed regarding workflow adaptations and leadership implications.

Language: en

Keywords

COVID-19; Risk communication; Emergency psychiatry; Epidemic management/response; Psychological impacts; Telehealth