en ارتقای سلامت، پیشگیری و کنترل بیماری‌ ها Health Promotion, Protection, and Disease Control پژوهشي Research Article <span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="line-height:16.0pt"><span new="" roman="" style="font-family:" times=""><b><i><span style="font-size:9.0pt">Background & Aims</span></i></b><b><span style="font-size:9.0pt">: </span></b><span style="font-size:9.0pt">The COVID-19 outbreak poses unique challenges for the emergency department, which is a vital hub for providing quality healthcare during the pandemic. Therefore, this study aims to identify the challenges faced by hospital emergency departments during the COVID-19 pandemic. </span></span></span></span><br> <span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="line-height:16.0pt"><span new="" roman="" style="font-family:" times=""><b><i><span style="font-size:9.0pt">Materials & Methods</span></i></b><b><span style="font-size:9.0pt">:</span></b><span style="font-size:9.0pt"> A systematic review was conducted on studies published between 2019 and 2022. The search strategy employed both electronic and manual methods. The main keywords used in this systematic review included hospital, emergency department, COVID-19, epidemic, and challenge. Electronic databases such as MEDLINE (PubMed), Scopus, Web of Science, ProQuest, Google Scholar, Iran Medex, Magiran, and Scientific Information Database (SID) were searched. Additionally, a three-step screening process was used to select studies using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) checklist. Finally, the data were analyzed thematically. </span></span></span></span><br> <span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="line-height:16.0pt"><span new="" roman="" style="font-family:" times=""><b><i><span style="font-size:9.0pt">Results</span></i></b><b><span style="font-size:9.0pt">:</span></b><span style="font-size:9.0pt"> Out of the 1,357 studies retrieved, 11 were included in this systematic review. After analyzing the findings, four main categories of challenges were identified: leadership-related challenges, patient management, physical and mental fatigue among staff, and resource shortages. </span></span></span></span><br> <span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="line-height:16.0pt"><span new="" roman="" style="font-family:" times=""><b><i><span style="font-size:9.0pt">Conclusion</span></i></b><b><span style="font-size:9.0pt">:</span></b> <span style="font-size:9.0pt">Healthcare systems need to be well prepared to deliver effective health services during epidemics. The quality of medical services is compromised by these emerging challenges, and this study provides evidence to support the development of an efficient framework for enhancing hospital emergency department services and addressing the challenges encountered during the COVID-19 epidemic.</span></span></span></span> Challenges, COVID-19, Emergency department, Epidemic, Systematic review 333 347 http://hsm.umsu.ac.ir/browse.php?a_code=A-10-67-11&slc_lang=en&sid=1 Fahimeh Barghi Shirazi 10031947532846004512 10031947532846004512 No Department of Health in Disasters and Emergencies, School of Health Management and Information Sciences, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran Mostafa Modareszadeh 10031947532846004513 10031947532846004513 No Department of Health in Disasters and Emergencies, School of Health Management and Information Sciences, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran Ameneh Marzban amenemarzban@yahoo.com 10031947532846004514 10031947532846004514 No Department of Health in Disasters and Emergencies, School of Health Management and Information Sciences, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran Mohammad Taghi Bastami 10031947532846004515 10031947532846004515 No Department of Health in Disasters and Emergencies, School of Health Management and Information Sciences, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran Hadis Amiri 10031947532846004516 10031947532846004516 No Health in Disasters and Emergencies Research Center, Institute for Futures Studies in Health, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran Shandiz Moslehi 10031947532846004517 10031947532846004517 Yes Health Management and Economics Research Center, Health Management Research Institute, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran