Ontario Health - Emergency Department Action Team (EDAT)
Issue
Emergency department wait times remain one of the most significant challenges facing Ontario’s healthcare system. While the impact is most visible in the ED, the underlying causes extend across the hospital and broader health system, including inpatient flow, discharge processes, diagnostics, staffing, access to community care, clinical practice variation, and regional coordination.
Ontario Health, in partnership with the Ministry of Health, established the Emergency Department Action Team (EDAT) to work directly with hospitals to identify the root causes of congestion and develop practical, sustainable solutions to improve patient flow and access to care.
Approach
London Health Partners provides transformation and implementation expertise as part of the multidisciplinary EDAT team, supporting hospitals through a structured, evidence-informed approach that combines operational assessment, data analytics, Lean Six Sigma, clinical engagement, change management, and implementation support.
Rather than applying predetermined solutions, EDAT works collaboratively with hospital executives, physicians, nurses, allied health professionals, frontline teams, and patient and family partners to understand local challenges and develop recommendations tailored to each organization.
The approach examines patient flow end-to-end—from arrival in the emergency department through diagnostics, consultation, admission, inpatient care, discharge, and transition to the community. Recommendations are prioritized based on impact and feasibility, with hospitals supported through implementation, performance monitoring, knowledge transfer, and sustainment.
Results
The initial EDAT work has established a scalable provincial model for emergency department and hospital flow transformation, including:
Comprehensive operational and clinical assessments identifying the key drivers of ED congestion and hospital flow delays.
Hospital-specific improvement recommendations supported by data, leading practices, and frontline engagement.
Implementation of priority initiatives addressing ED processes, diagnostic imaging, physician consultation, inpatient flow, discharge, governance, and performance management.
Development of standardized measurement and reporting approaches to monitor ED and hospital performance.
Building local capability and ownership so hospitals can sustain improvements and apply the approach beyond the initial EDAT engagement.
Creation of transferable lessons and leading practices to support future hospitals across Ontario.
