@article{ref1,
title="Ridesharing as an alternative to ambulance transport for voluntary psychiatric patients in the emergency department",
journal="Western journal of emergency medicine",
year="2020",
author="Blome, Andrea and Rosenbaum, Jennifer and Lucas, Nicole and Schreyer, Kraftin",
volume="21",
number="3",
pages="618-621",
abstract="INTRODUCTION: Emergency department (ED) crowding is a growing problem. Psychiatric patients have long ED lengths of stay awaiting placement and transportation to a psychiatric facility after disposition.   METHODS: Retrospective analysis of length of ED stay after disposition for voluntary psychiatric patients before and after the use of Lyft ridesharing services for inter-facility transport.   RESULTS: Using Lyft transport to an outside crisis center shortens time to discharge both statistically and clinically from 113 minutes to 91 minutes (p = 0.028) for voluntary psychiatric patients. Discharge time also decreased for involuntary patients from 146 minutes to 127 minutes (p = 0.0053).   CONCLUSION: Ridesharing services may be a useful alternative to medical transportation for voluntary psychiatric patients.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="1936-900X",
doi="10.5811/westjem.2020.2.45526",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.5811/westjem.2020.2.45526"
}