Emergency Department Case

You are the CEO for a hospital that constantly experiences overcrowding in the Emergency Department (ED). Your facility struggles with appropriate staffing and is currently providing uncompensated care to as many as 20% of all patients who come to the ED. Your current data-gathering efforts point out a problem with treating those who come to the ED with pneumonia. Current Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) guidelines and The Joint Commission (TJC) standards both require that patients with pneumonia receive antibiotics within four hours of admission to the ED. Your facility's current data demonstrates an average of six hours. You are out of compliance. Continued noncompliance will result in negative financial outcomes.

Response Guidelines

In a 250- to 300-word response, discuss what your plan of action will be. What should you do with this data? How will you turn this situation around? Create a short outline of your steps. Who will you involve in this plan?