cliot (version 1.0.0)

nedocs_score: NEDOCS Score for Emergency Department Overcrowding

Description

Calculates the National Emergency Department Overcrowding Scale (NEDOCS) score. This tool quantifies the degree of overcrowding in an emergency department at a specific point in time using operational variables such as patient volume, bed capacity, and wait times.

Usage

nedocs_score(total_patients_ed, total_ed_beds, admits_in_ed, total_hospital_beds,
             ventilated_patients_ed, longest_admit_time_hrs,
             wait_time_last_patient_hrs)

Value

A list containing:

NEDOCS_Score

The calculated score (Range 0-200).

Status

Classification of overcrowding severity (e.g., Not Busy, Overcrowded, Disaster).

Arguments

total_patients_ed

Numeric. Total number of patients currently in the ED (including those in beds, hallways, and the waiting room).

total_ed_beds

Numeric. Total number of licensed ED treatment beds.

admits_in_ed

Numeric. Number of patients in the ED admitted to the hospital but waiting for a bed.

total_hospital_beds

Numeric. Total number of licensed hospital beds.

ventilated_patients_ed

Numeric. Number of patients currently on ventilators in the ED.

longest_admit_time_hrs

Numeric. Time (in hours) the longest-waiting admitted patient has been in the ED.

wait_time_last_patient_hrs

Numeric. Waiting time (in hours) from arrival to bed placement for the last patient placed in a bed.

References

Weiss SJ, Derlet R, Arndahl J, et al. Estimating the degree of emergency department overcrowding in academic medical centers: results of the National ED Overcrowding Study (NEDOCS). Acad Emerg Med. 2004;11(1):38-50. doi:10.1197/j.aem.2003.07.017

Examples

# Example 1: Busy ED
# 35 patients, 30 beds, 4 admits, 400 hospital beds, 0 vents, 4h wait admit, 1h last bed
# Score = -20 + 85.8(1.16) + 600(0.01) + 0 + 0.93(4) + 5.64(1) = ~95 (Overcrowded)
nedocs_score(35, 30, 4, 400, 0, 4, 1)

# Example 2: Disaster Level
# 60 patients, 30 beds, 15 admits, 400 hospital beds, 2 vents, 12h wait admit, 3h last bed
# Score = -20 + 85.8(2) + 600(0.0375) + 13.4(2) + 0.93(12) + 5.64(3) = ~229 -> Capped at 200
nedocs_score(60, 30, 15, 400, 2, 12, 3)