A Centralized System to Access Acute Healthcare Services: The Pros and Cons

Having a centralized access service results in a daily interconnectedness between hospital sites, which can create many benefits but also much controversy. Knowing the pros and cons of a centralized service and understanding the role and work environment of the access coordinator will assist you in deciding if this service would be of benefit to your health region. In this descriptive analysis of a centralized access model, a regional perspective is presented; however many of the strategies can be adapted to a single hospital service resulting in improved flow in clinical areas.