Case Study: TidalHealth Peninsula Regional cuts ED boarding time and boosts provider satisfaction with Spok Go

Technology-driven communication improves ED admissions process and provider satisfaction

TidalHealth Peninsula Regional, the Delmarva Peninsula’s largest tertiary care hospital and a Level 3 trauma center, faced rising ED volumes and slow admissions caused by inefficient communication and care coordination — at one point averaging a 340-minute time from arrival to placement in a bed. Improving ED throughput, streamlining transfers, and reducing crowding and delays were top priorities to protect patient outcomes and provider satisfaction.

The health system implemented Spok Go secure messaging and on-call scheduling to connect ED providers, admissions case coordinators, and hospitalists via a single, mobile-enabled platform. That change produced measurable gains: a 44-minute reduction in boarding time, a 31-minute reduction in ED length of stay, markedly improved provider collaboration, and a 79% increase in hospitalist satisfaction with the admission process.

TidalHealth

Glenn Hornstein

MD, Director, Emergency Department