Improving the Patient Discharge Process through a Managed System

Session
Patient Flow

Authors
Jennifer A. Farris, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Texas Tech University

Timothy I. Matis, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Texas Tech University

Marlene McAllister, R.N., M.S.N., CNAA, BC
Chief Nursing Officer
Medical Center Hospital

Alan Snider
PI Specialist
Medical Center Hospital

Description
This presentation shares results from a discharge process improvement project conducted by Texas Tech University and Medical Center Hospital in Odessa, TX, including the most significant causes of delay identified and the conceptual design for a managed system to address these causes and achieve more effective and timely patient discharge.

Abstract
This presentation shares results from a discharge process improvement project conducted by Texas Tech University (TTU) and Medical Center Hospital (MCH) in Odessa, TX. The purpose of the project was to identify the most significant causes of delay in the patient discharge process and to design effective, workable solutions to better manage the process. Currently, most hospitals experience significant delays in patient discharge, and these delays have strong effects on hospital capacity, and thus strong effects on patient health and satisfaction. If the delays can be reduced, then hospital efficiency with respect to utilization of resources, patient health outcomes, and patient satisfaction is expected to improve. In particular, proper timing of the patient discharge process could help alleviate the key issue of gridlock in hospital ER. By using historical data, time studies, interviews, and Industrial Engineering analysis tools, TTU and MCH were able to identify some of the most significant sources of delay both within and across patient types. In this presentation, several key findings are shared, along with the conceptual design for a managed system for the patient discharge process. The managed system will develop a standardized discharge process that consists of a scheduling system, targeted pre-discharge routines, and error-proof communications.