Let’s get serious about the boarding problem before considering a new marketing plan. Let’s plug the hole in the ship before we start serving hors d’oeuvres. Until there are no patients in the hall and they all get to an inpatient bed within an hour of the order, the rest is just fluff.

The term “hall patient” has such negative connotations now that soon hospitals will come up with some PC euphemism like “unroomed.” Sure, Mr. Hospital Administrator, come help me do a pelvic exam on this unroomed patient. Come help me have a hall conversation about HIV.

Boarding is a colossal problem, but I get the sense that nobody other than emergency physicians and nurses are interested in a solution. It’s certainly not the Joint Commission. I’m sure many of you have experienced the administrator anxiety syndrome that happens before any Joint Commission visit. Nothing gets done except policy fluffing, floor buffing, and boss bluffing. The surveyors stroll through and deem the hospital safe from expired Neosporin and incorrect color-coded disaster policies and then move on to frighten another set of suits. But where is the National Patient Safety Goal for boarding in the ED? It’s great that we can wash our hands 60 times a day now as long as you don’t trip over the eight unroomed patients on your way. What will it take to get hospitals to do the right thing?

Dr. Baehren lives in Ottawa Hills, Ohio. He practices emergency medicine and is an assistant professor at the University of Toledo (Ohio) Medical Center. Your feedback is welcome at David.Baehren@utoledo.edu.

Editor’s Note: New Year, New Publication

In keeping with the time-honored tradition of remaking oneself with the onset of a new year, ACEP News is undergoing a makeover with a new design and new edge.

New design. ACEP News has a new look! Tell us what you think at acepnews@acep.org.

New voices. To reflect the interests of our members, we have added more physician columnists, including:

• Adventures of a Rookie Doc, by Dr. Lisa M. Bundy
• OB/GYN Trauma, by Dr. Howard Roemer
• Ultrasound, by Dr. Arun Nagdev
• Pediatrics, by Dr. Richard Cantor
• Consultant issues, by Dr. Chad Kessler
• Humorous look at daily ED life, by Dr. Robert Brandt
• Residents’ Voice (various)

We will continue to feature the popular columns In the Arena by Dr. David F. Baehren and Tricks of the Trade by Dr. Whit Fisher. More clinical photos. If you have the copyright to some compelling images you would like to share, please send them to us at acepnews@acep.org.