Is fast track effective at decreasing overcrowding in the emergency department in urban areas compared to no interventions?

Emergency department (ED) overcrowding is a growing concern with far-reaching public health implications. Overcrowding of an emergency department is described as a situation in which the number of patients to be assessed and treated far exceeds staffing capacity.1 This paper discusses the effectiveness of implementing a fast track area in the ED and its impact on patient care. This paper was done by conducting a systematic literature review for high quality studies comparing the effectiveness of triage-related interventions such as fast track in the emergency department. Studies support the implementation of a fast track area significantly reduces waiting times (WT), length of stay (LOS) and left without being seen (LWBS) rates for non-urgent patients. Instituting a fast track area is an effective option for increasing patient flow in the ED