Plans, resources, and staffing are based on predictions. Examining historical data on average and peak daily emergency department (ED) admissions helps predict the demand and allows for planning for the capacity needed to meet the demand. Predictions can be used to make system adjustments to meet the conditions. The ED staff can track demand in order to identify the days of the week, and hours of the day, when demand is especially high. Historical data also help predict the number of ED patients requiring admission to the inpatient setting. This allows ED staff to predict periods of high demand and make system adjustments to meet the demand. For example, ED staff can be rescheduled from low-demand to high-demand periods. Outpatients seen in the ED for scheduled treatments, such as transfusions, can be scheduled in low-demand periods. And the ED can alert other departments of the need for inpatient beds.