RT Book, Section A1 Wallus, Harry A1 Cooney, Derek R. A2 Cooney, Derek R. SR Print(0) ID 1126789702 T1 Diversion, Bypass, and Offload Delay T2 Cooney's EMS Medicine YR 2016 FD 2016 PB McGraw-Hill Education PP New York, NY SN 9780071775649 LK accessemergencymedicine.mhmedical.com/content.aspx?aid=1126789702 RD 2024/03/29 AB Although the primary focus of an advanced EMS system is typically the patient care rendered in the field and during transport, the act of delivering the patient to the most appropriate facility, performing a safe transfer of care, and returning to service to await the next emergency call is an important and sometimes overlooked by EMS physicians as part of the “operational component.” Diversion and bypass may increase transport distance and delays in offload of patients in crowded emergency departments can cause EMS crews to be out of service for longer periods, reducing system efficiency. Clearly this component has a direct impact on patient care, both current and for those who have not yet dialed 9-1-1. Defining and understanding the different components and facets of this part of the medical operation is critical to medical directors seeking to ensure patient high-quality care.