• Isabella M Lichen, Michelle J Berning, Susan M Bower, Jessica A Stanich, Molly M Jeffery, Ronna L Campbell, Laura E Walker, and Fernanda Bellolio.
• Department of Emergency Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA. Electronic address: isabella.m.lichen.22@dartmouth.edu.
• Am J Emerg Med. 2021 Jan 1; 39: 15-20.

ObjectiveDetermine if a comfort cart would improve older adults' comfort and facilitate communication during Emergency Department (ED) visits.MethodsA comfort cart containing low-cost, non-pharmacological interventions to improve patient comfort and ability to communicate (e.g., hearing amplifiers, reading glasses) were made available to patients aged ≥65 years. Patients and clinicians were surveyed to assess effectiveness. We followed the Standards for Quality Improvement Reporting Excellence: SQUIRE 2.0 guidelines.ResultsThree hundred patients and 100 providers were surveyed. Among patients, 98.0%, 95.1%, and 67.5% somewhat or strongly agreed that the comfort cart improved comfort, overall experience, and independence, respectively. Among providers, 97.0%, 95.0%, 87.0%, and 83% somewhat or strongly agreed that the comfort cart provided comfort, improved patient satisfaction, increased ability to give compassionate care, and increased patient orientation.ConclusionThe comfort cart was an affordable and effective intervention that improved patients' comfort by facilitating communication, wellbeing, and compassionate care delivery.Copyright © 2020 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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