Impact of triage liaison provider on emergency department throughput: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract

Introduction: Emergency department (ED) overcrowding is linked to poor outcome and decreases patient satisfaction. Strategies to control Emergency department (ED) overcrowding has been subject of research.

Study objectives: The objective of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to investigate the impact of triage liaison providers (TLPs) on the ED throughput.

Methods: We searched PubMed, EMBASE, and Web of Science up to April 2019 for studies done in the United States. Primary outcomes were number of patients left without being seen (LWBS) and patients' emergency department length of stay (ED-LOS). ED-LOS data was pooled using mean difference with random effect model. Risk Ratio (RRs) for LWBS was calculated with random effect model with 95% confidence interval (95% CI).

Results: Twelve studies encompassing 329,340patients were included in the meta-analysis. Implementation of the TLP system using attending physicians was associated with a decrease in risk of LWBS 0.62 (95% CI 0.54, 0.71), The change in ED-LOS after implementation of TLP was too heterogeneous to pool the data with the mean ΔED-LOS ranging from -82 to +20 min. Stratification of studies by disposition, admitted versus discharged, did not decrease the heterogeneity.

Conclusion: Implementation of TLP can decrease the rate of LWBS however this review is inconclusive about the effect of TLP on ED-LOS due to the high heterogeneity observed in the literature.

Keywords: Emergency services; Left without being seen; Length of stay; Triage.