Variables

General patients’ characteristics were analyzed and compared before and after the intervention to include age, sex, race, and ED dispositions. We measured patients’ total LOS (defined as the time interval incorporating the point the patient arrived at the ED to the point that the patient physically left the ED) and provider time (previously defined). Handoff time refers to the interval time spent by EPs during handoff procedures and includes, but may not be limited to, bedside patient rounding and patient information transition and discussion. ED scribes measured handoff intervals using 5-min time ranges (e.g., 5 - 10 min, 10 - 15 min, etc.); therefore, a median minutes value was entered for final data analysis (e.g., 7.5 min was recorded if EPs spent 5 - 10 min for their handoff procedures).