Department of Health

Emergency department streaming

Key messages

  • Emergency department (ED) streaming supports improved waiting times, patient assessment and initiation of care, and timely treatment and discharge.
  • Twelve Victorian public hospitals were funded over four years to participate in the ED streaming project.
  • Summary factsheets outline key initiatives and transferable solutions.

A streaming model of care is an alternative to the ‘one size fits all’ model of care within the emergency department (ED). Patients are streamed to the most appropriate care location and team in the ED based on whether they are to be discharged or admitted to the hospital.

Streaming within the emergency department can assist with:

  • improvement in the patient journey and wait times
  • early assessment, fast tracking and early initiation of clinical care
  • new patient flow designs which improve both responsiveness and safety
  • treatment and discharge of patients in a timely manner.

Funding of streaming initiatives

Funding of $400,000 over four years (2011-15) was provided to assist hospitals to design and develop streaming initiatives in the ED.

Twelve Victorian public hospital EDs participated in this project:

  • 2011-12 - Austin Hospital, Frankston Hospital and Latrobe Regional Hospital
  • 2012-13 - St Vincent’s Hospital, Box Hill Hospital and Bendigo Hospital
  • 2013-14 - The Northern Hospital, Werribee Mercy Hospital and Albury Hospital
  • 2014-15 - Maroondah Hospital, Goulburn Valley Health and West Gippsland Hospital.

Reports on participation in streaming project

Summary fact sheets on each round of the emergency department streaming project outline key initiatives and transferrable solutions implemented by the participating health services.

Downloads

2011-12 Emergency Department streaming project final report
pdf 120.29 KB
2012-13 Emergency Department streaming project final report
pdf 200.69 KB
2013-14 Emergency Department streaming project final report
pdf 213.31 KB

Reviewed 05 October 2015

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