Patients’ pathways to the emergency department: a scoping review
Dublin Core
Title
Patients’ pathways to the emergency department: a scoping review
Subject
Emergency department (ED) crowding is a common
Description
Abstract
Background Emergency department (ED) crowding is a common healthcare issue with multiple causes. One impor-
tant knowledge area is understanding where patients arrived from and what care they received prior to ED admission.
This information could be used to inform strategies to provide care for low acuity patients outside of the hospital
and reduce unnecessary ED admissions. The aim of this scoping review was to provide a comprehensive overview
of global published research examining the acute care trajectory of all ED patients.
Methods The scoping review was performed according to the JBI Manual for Evidence Synthesis and the PRISMA-
SCR checklist. A comprehensive literature search was performed to identify studies describing where patients
arrived from and/or whose pathway of care was before an ED visit. The search was conducted in MEDLINE, Embase,
and the Cochrane Library from inception through December 5th, 2022. Two reviewers independently screened
the records.
Results Out of the 6,465 records screened, 14 studies from Australia, Canada, Haiti, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland,
Belgium, Indonesia, and the UK met the inclusion criteria. Four studies reported on where patients physically arrived
from, ten reported how patients were transported, six reported who referred them, and six reported whether medical
care or advice was sought prior to visiting an ED.
Conclusion This scoping review revealed a lack of studies describing patients’ pathways to the ED. However, studies
from some countries indicate that a relatively large proportion of patients first seek care or guidance from a primary
care physician (PCP) before visiting an ED. However, further research and published data are needed. To improve
the situation, we recommend the development and implementation of a template for the uniform reporting of fac-
tors outside the ED, including where the patient journey began, which healthcare facilities they visited, who referred
them to the ED, and how they arrived.
Background Emergency department (ED) crowding is a common healthcare issue with multiple causes. One impor-
tant knowledge area is understanding where patients arrived from and what care they received prior to ED admission.
This information could be used to inform strategies to provide care for low acuity patients outside of the hospital
and reduce unnecessary ED admissions. The aim of this scoping review was to provide a comprehensive overview
of global published research examining the acute care trajectory of all ED patients.
Methods The scoping review was performed according to the JBI Manual for Evidence Synthesis and the PRISMA-
SCR checklist. A comprehensive literature search was performed to identify studies describing where patients
arrived from and/or whose pathway of care was before an ED visit. The search was conducted in MEDLINE, Embase,
and the Cochrane Library from inception through December 5th, 2022. Two reviewers independently screened
the records.
Results Out of the 6,465 records screened, 14 studies from Australia, Canada, Haiti, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland,
Belgium, Indonesia, and the UK met the inclusion criteria. Four studies reported on where patients physically arrived
from, ten reported how patients were transported, six reported who referred them, and six reported whether medical
care or advice was sought prior to visiting an ED.
Conclusion This scoping review revealed a lack of studies describing patients’ pathways to the ED. However, studies
from some countries indicate that a relatively large proportion of patients first seek care or guidance from a primary
care physician (PCP) before visiting an ED. However, further research and published data are needed. To improve
the situation, we recommend the development and implementation of a template for the uniform reporting of fac-
tors outside the ED, including where the patient journey began, which healthcare facilities they visited, who referred
them to the ED, and how they arrived.
Creator
Målfrid Asheim Nummedal1*, Sarah Elizabeth King1
, Oddvar Uleberg1,2,3, Sindre Andre Pedersen4 and
Lars Petter Bjørnsen1,2
, Oddvar Uleberg1,2,3, Sindre Andre Pedersen4 and
Lars Petter Bjørnsen1,2
Source
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12245-024-00638-w
Date
2024
Contributor
Peri Irawan
Format
pdf
Language
english
Type
text
Files
Collection
Citation
Målfrid Asheim Nummedal1*, Sarah Elizabeth King1
, Oddvar Uleberg1,2,3, Sindre Andre Pedersen4 and
Lars Petter Bjørnsen1,2, “Patients’ pathways to the emergency department: a scoping review,” Repository Horizon University Indonesia, accessed April 11, 2026, https://repository.horizon.ac.id/items/show/12344.