| Case Study |
|
Evaluating Emergency Department Expansion
 Midwest Hospital planned to expand (and potentially replace) their emergency department in response to increased crowding and congestion. Although the current number of annual visits was not expected to grow significantly in the near future, the patient/visitor waiting room was frequently overflowing during the evening hours. ED staff also began creating "hall beds" by labeling and assigning defined stretcher bays in their hallways to gain additional treatment space during peak periods.
Although facility expansion and operations improvement were deemed necessary by all members of the planning team, the CFO was concerned about spending significant capital dollars when ED revenues were relatively flat. ED staff were also not in agreement regarding the extent of required expansion. Some wanted to almost double the size of the current ED while others were concerned that significant expansion would required additional staff at a time when budgets were tight and recruiting was difficult. Others were concerned about the long ED length of stay and its impact on customer satisfaction. However, all members of the planning team agreed that a detailed analysis of the relationship between improvements in exam/treatment room turnaround time, and resulting space need and construction cost, was warranted prior to initiating a major construction project.
|
| In the News |
|
Not Many Physicians Are Using Electronic Medical Records
A recent report published online in the New England Journal of Medicine indicates that fewer than one in five physicians in the U.S. have started using electronic medical records. In fact, only four percent of the physicians surveyed have a fully-functional electronic medical records system, despite the fact that those who use electronic medical records say overwhelmingly that such records have improved the quality and timeliness of care. The slow adoption of this technology is primarily economic since most doctors in private practice do not have the financial incentive to invest in costly computerized record systems. The time and energy it takes to convert from paper to computer records is also a factor.
|
| Trendline |
|
Assessing the Capacity of Clinical Services
Healthcare organizations vary in the number of expensive procedure rooms and equipment units that they use to accommodate similar numbers of annual procedures. This is why it is important to look at the current capacity of specific clinical services prior to deciding to expand the number of procedure rooms and related support space, particularly those services that use expensive equipment and uniquely-designed procedure rooms. Healthcare organizations are routinely asking key questions prior to committing significant dollars to expand or upgrade an existing clinical department.
|
| Technology |
|
Touch Screen Kiosks Provide Patient Self-Service
 We can check in for our flight when we arrive at the airport using a kiosk. We use an ATM to get cash from our bank or to make a deposit. But when we go to our local hospital or doctor's office, we get a pencil, clipboard, and a multi-page form to fill out. We may even have to go to one or more different departments where we will be asked to fill out the same form again ... and again!
This is not the case at progressive healthcare organizations like the Heritage Valley Health System who are reducing wait times and congestion at the front desk, reducing the need for clipboards, and lowering the risk of patient misidentification and clerical errors at data entry using the MediKiosk technology by Galvanon. With a seamless process for sharing information between patients, physicians offices and hospitals, patient satisfaction is increased while staff and space are used more efficiently.
|
