Newswise — Mount Sinai Brooklyn has launched a FastER Track program in its emergency department (ED) that will expedite care for patients, especially those with non-urgent medical needs. This new system separates patients based on the seriousness of their conditions, thus reducing wait times and providing faster results from onsite diagnostic testing.
“This model expedites care for all patients and allows our providers to give equal attention to the sickest of patients, who require complex testing, and patients with common ailments that may need only an examination and prescription,” said Scott Lorin, MD, President of Mount Sinai Brooklyn.
During a pilot of FastER Track in Mount Sinai Brooklyn’s ED, the arrival-to-first provider time decreased by more than half to under 10 minutes; length of stay decreased by about 11.5 minutes for patients with non-urgent conditions; and turnaround times decreased for walk-in patients.
FastER Track will result in patients seeing a provider within minutes upon arrival for an assessment. For example, patients with minor ailments, such as sore throats, urinary tract infections, or rashes, will be sorted in the system and treated rapidly. These patients are generally healthier and can be diagnosed through a physical or point-of-care test. If further diagnostics are needed, such as an X-ray or lab test, they will be referred to areas of the ED where that testing is conducted. The previous model focused treatment efforts on the most serious cases before diverting resources to patients with low-acuity conditions.
“This is important for our community hospital. This structural triage provides the appropriate path for patients who want to receive exceptional care and be discharged as quickly as possible,” said Deborah Dean, MD, Director of the Emergency Department at Mount Sinai Brooklyn.
“If more advanced care is needed, patients will have access to world-class specialists who are based in our hospital, including surgeons, oncologists, and cardiologists, as well as physicians throughout the health system,” said Peter Shearer, MD, Chief Medical Officer at Mount Sinai Brooklyn.
FastER Trask has also been shown to improve patient satisfaction. In a recent survey, patients triaged via FastER Track responded positivity to their experience in the ED:
“Best service ever. That's where I'll forever go when I need care.”
“The care was exceptional. The provider in the intake area was Diana, and my nurse was Lilibeth. I was seen immediately and was treated with care and compassion. The entire team was amazing. Thank you!”
“Did not have to wait to be seen. Patient care was prioritized over financials.”
“First time ED visit. Staff was very attentive and worked diligently to show importance in providing me the care and testing needed. Diagnosis and treatment were explained thoroughly.”
For more information about FastER Track at Mount Sinai Brooklyn, visit [insert website].
About the Mount Sinai Health System
The Mount Sinai Health System is New York City's largest integrated delivery system, encompassing eight hospitals, a leading medical school, and a vast network of ambulatory practices throughout the greater New York region. Mount Sinai's vision is to produce the safest care, the highest quality, the highest satisfaction, the best access and the best value of any health system in the nation. The Health System includes approximately 7,480 primary and specialty care physicians; 11 joint-venture ambulatory surgery centers; more than 410 ambulatory practices throughout the five boroughs of New York City, Westchester, Long Island, and Florida; and 31 affiliated community health centers. The Icahn School of Medicine is one of three medical schools that have earned distinction by multiple indicators: ranked in the top 20 by U.S. News & World Report's "Best Medical Schools", aligned with a U.S. News & World Report's "Honor Roll" Hospital, No. 12 in the nation for National Institutes of Health funding, and among the top 10 most innovative research institutions as ranked by the journal Nature in its Nature Innovation Index. This reflects a special level of excellence in education, clinical practice, and research. The Mount Sinai Hospital is ranked No. 14 on U.S. News & World Report's "Honor Roll" of top U.S. hospitals; it is one of the nation's top 20 hospitals in Cardiology/Heart Surgery, Diabetes/Endocrinology, Gastroenterology/GI Surgery, Geriatrics, Gynecology, Nephrology, Neurology/Neurosurgery, and Orthopedics in the 2019-2020 "Best Hospitals" issue. Mount Sinai's Kravis Children's Hospital also is ranked nationally in five out of ten pediatric specialties by U.S. News & World Report. The New York Eye and Ear Infirmary of Mount Sinai is ranked 12th nationally for Ophthalmology, Mount Sinai St. Lukes and Mount Sinai West are ranked 23rd nationally for Nephrology and 25th for Diabetes/Endocrinology, and Mount Sinai South Nassau is ranked 35th nationally for Urology. Mount Sinai Beth Israel, Mount Sinai St. Luke's, Mount Sinai West, and Mount Sinai South Nassau are ranked regionally.
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