Using an after-hours clinic (AHC) that was off-site from a children’s hospital ED appears to significantly reduce length of stay (LOS) and charges. In a retrospective analysis, researchers found that the average LOS was 81.2 minutes shorter and average charges were $236.20 less for AHC-treated patients when compared with patients treated in a pediatric ED. The researchers reported that this approach may be an effective model to help address ED overcrowding and promote patient safety.

Abstract: Pediatric Emergency Care, November 2012.