Australian private emergency departments can assist ambulance services by taking public emergency patients during surge and disasters

Abstract

We describe a novel ambulance diversion programme, piloted in Victoria. This article discusses creating increased emergency capacity during surge or disasters by utilising private EDs, tested during a recent thunderstorm asthma disaster and an influenza epidemic. Public hospitals and EDs often run at or over capacity during normal operations. This leaves limited ability to manage surges in demand, resulting in suboptimal outcomes for patients, public ED staff and ambulance services. It is feasible to create surge capacity in private EDs for public ambulance patients. Other states could consider this option to help manage health disasters.

Clinical and ethical challenges for emergency departments during communicable disease outbreaks: Can lessons from Ebola Virus Disease be applied to the COVID‐19 pandemic?

“…An important part of enhancing system resilience will be to offload public EDs wherever possible. Relevant strategies will include establishing community ‘flu’ or ‘fever’ clinics for low acuity patients, bolstering primary care resources and utilising private EDs as part of a system‐wide response plan …”

Private parts: Emergency medicine in the private sector

“…They can help alleviate the burden on an overstretched public system and relieve some of the pressures on public EDs that are seeing a constant increase in the number of presentations 1,14,15 . They can also provide surge capacity in times of local disaster, 1,16–18 with larger private EDs and hospitals equipped to provide high‐quality care to unwell or unstable patients via 24/7 operating theatres and ICUs. Private EDs may also provide system efficiency, in the case of patients presenting with recurrent issues and a desire to be admitted under their regular treating specialist or specialist of choice.…”