Emergency Department - Trends > Demand & Activity
This component connects daily ED realities to long-term planning.
Overview
The Trends > Demand & Activity component provides a comprehensive historical view of Emergency Department (ED) activity, patient flow, and system pressures. It is designed to support operational decision-making, identify the causes of breaches and bottlenecks, and inform future resourcing and planning strategies.
This component is frequently used in conjunction with the ED Situation Report to analyse what happened in the ED — and why — by reviewing past breaches, arrival surges, occupancy patterns, and wait type distributions.
What You Can Do With This Component
- Track 4-hour NEAT (Australia) or 6-hour PET (Ireland) compliance over time
- Compare actual vs expected presentations to identify anomalies
- Understand patterns in ED crowding and breaches
- Review patient acuity, diagnosis, and wait types to assess clinical workload
- Investigate flow deficits through discharge vs. required trends
- Support roster planning, escalation triggers, and flow coordination
Key Metrics & Features
| Feature | Description | Insights |
|---|---|---|
| NEAT % Trends (or PET in Ireland) | Tracks % of patients seen/admitted/discharged within 4 hours (AU) or 6 hours (IE) | Assess overall flow efficiency |
| Presentations vs Expected | Compares actual presentations to forecasted demand | Identify over/underperformance against trends |
| Hourly Arrivals | Tracks presentations per hour with upper/lower control limits | Pinpoints surges or quiet periods |
| ED Occupancy | Displays number of patients in ED by time of day | Highlights crowding and capacity breaches |
| Breach Trends by Hour | Shows when and how often breaches occur | Helps with resourcing and rostering decisions |
| Waiting Patients by Type | Breakdown of patients waiting for review, admission, or first assessment | Understand delay drivers |
| Diagnosis and Acuity | View most common presentations and acuity via triage | Supports workforce and service planning |
| Discharges vs Required | Compares hourly discharges against what’s needed to maintain flow | Indicates whether ED flow kept up with demand |
Who Is This For (and Why It Matters)
| User Role | Value & Insights Gained | Standards Alignment |
|---|---|---|
| ED Nurse Unit Managers | Adjust rosters and identify breach patterns by hour, triage, or diagnosis | NEAT (AU): 90% within 4 hrs PET (IE): 6 hr target for all ED patients |
| Hospital Executives | Benchmark performance, support escalation policies, drive hospital-wide flow improvements | NSQHS (AU), HSE KPIs (IE), incl. 12-hour wait tracking |
| Operations / Flow Leads | Detect imbalance between arrivals and discharges, track occupancy and waiting patients | Winter Resilience Plans (IE), Access Improvement Programs (AU) |
| Service Improvement | Conduct root cause analysis and track the impact of improvement interventions | HSE National Service Plans, ACSQHC Safety & Quality Improvement Standards (AU) |
| Data Analysts | Perform cohort analysis, track presentation trends, and automate breach reporting | NSQHS 1.11 (AU), HSE Data Governance & Transparency Goals (IE) |
| Clinical Leads | Identify bottlenecks in specialty reviews, compare performance across departments | Emergency Access KPIs tied to clinical team performance (AU & IE) |
Filters Available
- Facility / District
- Age Group (Adult / Paediatric)
- Admission Status
- Triage Category
- NEAT / PET Status
- Arrival vs Discharge Date (configurable)
Configuration Options
-
Target Thresholds: 4hr (AU) or 6hr (IE) – customisable per jurisdiction
-
Forecast Controls: Based on 12–24 months of historical data, by day of week, hour, and season
-
Escalation Logic: Based on breach % or occupancy exceeding historical control limits
Why It Matters
This component connects daily ED realities to long-term planning. Whether it’s managing ramping, resourcing busy periods, understanding breaches, or improving care pathways — this dashboard equips frontline, operational, and executive users with the visibility they need to drive change.
💬 Need Support?
For training, custom configuration, or deeper insight into your ED trends, contact your Customer Success Manager