New Emergency Department “Fast Track” helps children get care faster

After years of planning and construction, Children’s Emergency Services (CES) at C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital has launched a new four-room Fast Track to help families spend less time waiting, and it’s paying off.

“During the pandemic, pediatric visits essentially fell to close to nothing,” said Marisa C. Louie, MD, Clinical Assistant Professor of Pediatrics and Emergency Medicine.
“When everything shut down, kids stopped getting sick, and then it rebounded with a vengeance.”

That rebound led to what staff called the tripledemic year, when influenza, RSV, and COVID-19 cases soared in hospitals.

“For the first time ever, we saw a big increase in our low-acuity patients,” Dr. Louie said.
“We started looking to see what we could do to move lower-acuity patients a little bit faster through our ED.”

To solve this, CES partnered with University of Michigan engineering students who helped design what the team would need. Construction followed, and last spring, four fully equipped rooms opened next to the waiting area.

“They have patient monitors, suction, oxygen — all the typical equipment that you would find in the ED,” Dr. Louie said. “They’re intended for Fast Track, but the rooms are pretty comparable in size to our main ED.”

The new area offers a quieter, more private space for lower acuity conditions. These cases might have previously occupied hallway spaces.

“From a patient experience standpoint, this is a huge improvement, because you’re in a room in a relatively quiet part of the ED,” Dr. Louie said. “It’s very “shiny” and feels airy and spacious.”

The Fast Track treats minor injuries, colds, ear infections, sore throats, rashes, and similar needs — what Dr. Louie described as “urgent care plus.”

“We’ll handle lacerations that a lot of urgent cares won’t do,” she said. “We can do X-rays, and there’s no reason a tech can’t come put a splint on over there.”

By routing these cases through the Fast Track, CES can shorten waits for families while allowing emergency staff to focus on higher-acuity patients.

“It allows us to practice at the top of our license and practice independently, which is a win for our team,” said Sarah Ketelhut, PA-C, who manages the department’s Physician Assistant (PA) team. “We have 567 years of PA experience on our team, and 367 of that has been in our emergency department.”

The Fast Track operates during the busiest pediatric hours — 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Data already shows stays are significantly shorter than the main ED.

“I think it’ll help the ED by decreasing waiting-room time and “left-without-being-seen” rates,” Ketelhut said. “That’s a benefit not only to the ED, but to our patients.”

Staff also hope that families will recognize this option.

“Sometimes people walk in, see a full waiting room, and are like, ‘Ope, I’m out,’” Ketelhut said. “But this is an option. If you think you have something straightforward, this unit is here and open.”

As patient volumes shift, the team will continue refining the model.

“If we see volumes change, there are opportunities to look at staffing and make adjustments,” Dr. Louie said.

For now, families can take comfort knowing that when a minor emergency brings them to Mott, there’s a dedicated space designed to get kids the right care and get them home faster.