In January 2025, the Emergency Department’s Ambulance Patient Offload Time (APOT) averaged 48 minutes and was identified as an outlier in the community.

These charge nurses (Kat, Ivan, Charmaine, Michelle, Frank, Nicole, Maria, Gene, and Mallory) collaborated to develop and implement a strategic action plan focused on improving EMS handoffs, communication, triage, and patient flow.

By April 2026, KPWH ED reduced APOT from 48 minutes to 16 minutes, exceeded the state standard by 14 minutes, and became the only Southern California Kaiser Permanente ED removed from California EMS scrutiny—improving EMS satisfaction and allowing crews to return to serving the community more quickly.