Sleep Faster! (Somebody else needs your blanket..)

One of the elements of the health reform plan, as agreed to by Australian state and federal governments, is to introduce a 4-h National Access Target, to reduce emergency department (ED) waiting times. This article highlights the flawed rationale behind the 4-h rule, the UK experience of this rule a...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Anstey, Matthew, Gildfind, S., Litvak, E.
Format: Journal Article
Published: 2012
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/41615
Description
Summary:One of the elements of the health reform plan, as agreed to by Australian state and federal governments, is to introduce a 4-h National Access Target, to reduce emergency department (ED) waiting times. This article highlights the flawed rationale behind the 4-h rule, the UK experience of this rule and discusses the potential dangers it poses to Australian patients. An alternative solution proposed is the separation of elective and emergency surgical streams to reduce the variability in demand for inpatient services. © 2012 AHHA.