March 20, 2026 · Annals of emergency medicine · DOI: 10.1016/j.annemergmed.2026.01.023

Early Clinical Deterioration Among Emergency Department Boarders: A Retrospective Analysis

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The authors aimed to define the incidence and identify factors associated with early clinical deterioration among patients boarding in the emergency department (ED). Their retrospective analysis of over 173,000 encounters revealed that 3.6% of patients experienced deterioration, with longer boarding times significantly increasing the risk. Key predictors included care at academic safety-net hospitals, overnight admissions, and elevated lactate levels, highlighting the patient safety risks associated with prolonged ED boarding.

Nicholas W Rizer, Eili Klein, Martin S Copenhaver, Xihan Zhao, Gabor D Kelen, Jeremiah S Hinson

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