About Emergency Department/Trauma
California’s emergency departments (EDs) provide critical health services to those experiencing trauma, injury, or acute medical conditions. EDs offer comprehensive care, do not require previous authorization, and are open 24/7 year-round. EDs are facing unprecedented patient volume, with a 42% increase in the past seven years. By improving access to care for primary and specialty services, emergency visits can be reduced. More focused state and federal policies will be required to reduce Californians’ health care risks and ensure equitable access to appropriate care levels before people need emergency care.
A significant issue facing emergency departments (EDs) across California is ambulance patient offload time (APOT): the time it takes for a patient arriving at a hospital by ambulance to be transferred into the (ED). CHA has developed an APOT issue web page with additional information and resources.
Ambulance Patient Offload Times
Ambulance patient offload times — how long it takes for a patient arriving at a hospital via ambulance to be transferred to an emergency department — are a challenge in many counties in California. Some factors contributing to longer offload times include the physical layout of a hospital, current unprecedented patient volume, increased acuity of patients’ illness or injury, and more. Challenges in the Emergency Department only continue to grow, further straining limited emergency services, and forcing us all to think about how to adapt to a changing world.