ED boarding is a growing challenge, but physicians can help ACEP document its scope and advocate for solutions.
On October 27, 2026, at 7:00 p.m., ACEP will conduct its first—and hopefully annual—national ED boarding census, and we invite your ED to participate.
Participation is simple and anonymous:
- Before October 27: Complete a brief registration form with basic information about your ED, including annual volume, number of staffed beds, location, and whether you are in a major metropolitan area. This allows us to characterize participating EDs and prevent duplicate submissions.
- At 7:00 p.m. on October 27: Provide a few data points for each patient boarding in your ED, or securely submit an image of your patient tracking board with any identifying information blacked out.
- We will collect age, broad complaint category (med/surg/ob/gyn, trauma, behavioral health, other), and ED length of stay.
Data will be aggregated at the state or large-municipality level when at least five EDs have participated. If fewer than five facilities participate, or if the review group determines that the data could potentially identify a facility or staffing group, the data will be aggregated by region. Results will be used to develop state report cards and support ACEP advocacy efforts to reduce and ultimately eliminate ED boarding.
Questions? Contact Sandy Schneider at sschneider@acep.org.
This study has been determined to be exempt from IRB review.