A Systematic Review of the literature on Quality of Health Care and Patient Safety in overcrowded emergency rooms

This systematic review analyzes the connection between an overcrowded emergency department and the influence it has on the quality of health care and patient safety. According to the scientific evidence published during the period of 2016-2026, the overcrowding in the emergency rooms is not a coincidence, but a result of the structural failures and specific nots of patient flow. The findings on the studies included in the review show that the main causes of the downfall in this context are: low clinical staff during night shifts, an increase of the geriatric population and inappropriate use of the emergency services to deal with illnesses that should be treated by primary health care centers. The results indicate that the overcrowding damages patients trust and lows patient satisfaction scores, recording unsatisfaction scores above 70% in context of greater service demand. However, the implementation of strategies such as early clinical contact with a physician during triage and the standardization of administrative processes have shown to be effective in reducing the percentage of patients leaving without being seen and improving the medical patient relationship. In conclusion, the answer to this problem is to enhance the team connection between primary health care units and hospitals. It is crucial to improve communication, develop precise triage protocols and to make sure the operational efficiency doesn’t compromise patients’ dignity or safety during the process of receiving health care.