Do automatic push notifications improve patient flow in the emergency department? analysis of an ED in a large medical center in Israel

INTRODUCTION: Congestion in emergency departments [ED] is a significant challenge worldwide. Any delay in the timely and immediate medical care provided in the ED can affect patient morbidity and mortality. Our research analyzed the use of an innovative platform to improve patient navigation in the ED, as well as provide updated information about their care. Our hope is that this can improve ED efficiency and improve overall patient care. OBJECTIVE: The primary objective of our study was to determine whether the use of an automatic push notification system can shorten ‘length of stay’ (LOS) in the ED, improve patient flow, and decrease ED patient load. METHODS: This was a prospective cohort study utilizing data extrapolated from the electronic medical records of 2972 patients who visited the walk-in ED of a large-scale central hospital in Israel from January 17, 2021 to March 15, 2021. During this period, the automatic push text notification system was activated on a week-on week-off basis. We compared data from our experimental group with the control group. RESULTS: The results of this study indicate that the use of an automatic push notification system had a minimal impact on specific parameters of ED patient flow. Apart from a few significant reductions of specific timed-intervals during patients’ ED visit, the majority of results were not statistically significant. CONCLUSION: This study concluded that the anticipated benefits of a push text notification system in the ED do not, at this stage, justify the system’s additional cost. We recommend a follow-up study to further investigate other possible benefits.