SGEM Xtra Zombie Idea: ED Crowding is Due to Non-Urgent Patients

Date: April 1, 2025 This is another SGEM Xtra. I was asked to give a public lecture for the Gateway Centre of Excellence in Rural Health. The topic was the zombie idea that emergency department crowding is due to non-urgent patients. You can click on this LINK and get a PDF copy of my slides. The YouTube video of the presentation with the Q&A session featuring rural physician Dr. Kay Dingwell is available at this LINK. I also created a song to summarize some of the important parts of this issue (LINK). Thank you to Ivey MBA classmate Shirley Ngo, who was a guest skeptic on the SGEM Xtra: If I Had A Million Dollars episode discussing physician finance. She showed me how to make a song using artificial intelligence. The SGEM will return soon with a structured critical appraisal of a recent publication. Using social media, we continue to try to reduce the knowledge translation window from over ten years to less than one year. Ultimately, we want patients to get the best care based on the best evidence. REMEMBER TO BE SKEPTICAL OF ANYTHING YOU LEARN, EVEN IF YOU HEARD IT ON THE SKEPTICS’ GUIDE TO EMERGENCY MEDICINE. Zombie Dad Jokes: