A Basis for Classifying Hospital Emergency Services

• Published in: JAMA : the journal of the American Medical Association Vol. 213; no. 10; pp. 1647 - 1651
• Main Authors: Youmans, Roger L, Brose, Richard A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States American Medical Association 07-09-1970
• Subjects: Emergency Service, Hospital - classification; Emergency Service, Hospital - standards; Equipment and Supplies, Hospital - supply & distribution; Hospital Administration; Kansas; Medical Staff, Hospital - supply & distribution; Nursing Staff, Hospital - supply & distribution; Utilization Review; Kansas
• ISSN: 0098-7484; 1538-3598
• DOI: 10.1001/jama.1970.03170360045008

The primary role of an emergency service to provide care for the acutely and seriously ill or injured patient must not be neglected because of the rapidly rising use of emergency rooms for routine and ambulatory patient care. A community-wide approach to the problem is essential and several basic principles are presented in establishing continuity of care and specifying responsibility for quality of care. A survey was carried out involving all 28 hospitals providing emergency care in the metropolitan Kansas City area by the same team of examiners. Standards were established, and the hospitals were informed on their particular strengths and weaknesses. Three classifications of emergency services were defined and called "Major Emergency Facilities," "Emergency Facilities," and "Provisional Emergency Facilities."