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. 2024 Sep;54(9):1577-1580.
doi: 10.1111/imj.16466. Epub 2024 Jul 31.

A brief history of ramping

Benjamin Cook  1   2   3   4 , James Evenden  2   3   5   6 , Ruby Genborg  6 , Brandon Stretton  2   3   5 , Joshua Kovoor  3   7 , Kieran Gibson  8 , Sheryn Tan  3 , Aashray Gupta  3 , Weng O Chan  2   3   5 , Carol Bacchi  3 , Mana Ittimani  9 , Michael Cusack  2 , John Maddison  1   2   4 , Samuel Gluck  1   3   4 , Tony Gilbert  1   2   4 , Keith McNeill  10 , Stephen Bacchi  1   2   4   11
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A brief history of ramping

Benjamin Cook et al. Intern Med J. 2024 Sep.

Abstract

'Ramping' is a commonly used term in contemporary Australian healthcare. It is also a part of the public and political zeitgeist. However, its precise definition varies among sources. In the published literature, there are distinctions between related terms, such as 'entry overload' and 'Patient Off Stretcher Time Delay'. How ramping is defined and how it came to be defined have significance for policies and procedures relating to the described phenomenon. Through examination of the history of the term, insights are obtained into the underlying issues contributing to ramping and, accordingly, associated possible solutions.

Keywords: access block; ambulance; community; emergency department; overcrowding.

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References

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