Capacity improvement — Hospital Ward

Context: Busy multi-site surgical hospital client with mix of Emergency and Elective procedures

• Scope: Improve patient discharge by 10am—in key hospital wards (eg. surgical, orthopaedic, rehab) to free up beds for anticipated ED admissions, and theatre
• Goal: Minimise bed-block and Emergency Department ambulance bypass hours using a ‘pull system’ to smooth patient flow
• Review on a site-by-site basis, merits of a patient discharge lounge
• Ensure high levels of patient satisfaction are maintained

Results delivered

• Front line ward staff document and implement corrective actions to improve on-time patient discharge
• Improved communication up-front with patients increases carer and patient satisfaction
• Discharge lounge implemented at 1 of 5 hospitals
• Our KPI results for patient discharge by 10am often achieve >50% improvement