Effect of Resident Physicians in a Supervisory Role on Efficiency in the Emergency Department

Patient throughput and emergency department (ED) length of stay (LOS) are recognized as important metrics in the delivery of efficient care in emergency medicine. However, academic centers must balance expeditious care delivery with the educational mission of training the next generation of emergency physicians.

In this article, HIP Investigator, Dr. Brian Patterson et al. sought to examine the impact of a staffing model involving a supervisory resident “pre-attending” (PAT) on ED throughput and LOS, as this model offers a valuable educational experience for residents, but may do so at the expense of operational efficiency.