This calculator is intended to visualise the results of the UNCORKED study, which demonstrated a relationship between Emergency Department occupancy and mortality. (The study is currently in press; a hyperlink will be inserted here when available online)

The analysis assessed the relationship between Emergency Department occupancy—defined as the total number of patients in the department as a proportion of the total number of treatment spaces available—and mortality for admitted patients. The aim was to assess a simple metric of potential harms from crowding. The analysis adjusted for hospital type, as well as patient factors such as age, sex, and diagnosis.

The calculator output is the relative risk of mortality for admitted patients, compared to a baseline of 100% occupancy (i.e. the number of patients equals the number of treatment spaces). The calculator also provides a 95% confidence interval for this estimate.

Disclaimer: This calculator is intended only to visualise the results of the study, and more work is needed to validate its use as a clinical or operational tool.