Invest in areas to support the organization. Physicians/porters/housekeeping /floating unit clerks. Reinvest across the continuum (i.e., Community Care). Meet weekly around long LOS patients. Include ED in this process. Focus on the readmission rate and why are they coming back in where to reinvest. Patient discharges on weekends. Community plans ahead for weekend discharges. Psych Liaison Nurse is part of the daily meetings. Social Worker is part of the daily meetings to deal with social admissions.
KGH ED Review p.26 (T. Barnes, November 2012)
In addition, an expected date of discharge is important to include up front (KGH Med QI meeting Dec 2012) . This work is closely aligned with the Transitions work of the Central Okanagan Divisions of Family Practice (CODFP) to address transition communication between GPs, ERPs and Hospitalists. (CODFP Dec 2012)
On December 19, 2012 the Joint Commission R3 Report explained that Patient Flow through the Emergency department as a Hospital-wide Concern. The report updated Leadership standards that emphasize the importance of patient flow in hospitals. The revised standards make clear that the flow of patients must be managed systematically throughout the entire hospital. The JCAHO standards were revised and developed to enhance patient safety by addressing: 1) Data and metrics to better manage patient flow as a hospital-wide concern; 2) Safe provision of care for patients should boarding occur, 3) Mitigating risks experienced psychiatric emergency patients boarded in the ED. http://www.jointcommission.org/joint_commission_report_explains_revised_patient_flow_requiremen