Patient Flow Enewsletter
Volume 1, Issue 1
Thursday, December 11, 2003

Best Practices
10 Hospitals Test Strategies to Improve Patient Flow and Address Crowding

Ten U.S. hospitals have joined the Urgent Matters Learning Network to improve hospital patient flow and reduce emergency department crowding. The Learning Network involves peer collaboration and performance improvement strategies to cut wait times, streamline processes, improve patient quality of care, and contribute tools to other hospitals facing similar stresses to their EDs. Learning Network members have access to a toolkit containing proven tactics and state-of-the-art strategies and innovations. For example, the toolkit contains policies and protocols for using advanced nurse practitioners who have discharge privileges, and policies and protocols for moving admitted patients to boarding spaces on the inpatient unit.

The Learning Network uses a collaborative structure coupled with on-site technical assistance by the country's leading experts in hospital patient flow and ED operations. Faculty provide patient-flow assessments and recommendations on changes with the greatest impact for the lowest cost. For example, these recommendations include strategies to smooth variation in elective surgical procedures and collaboration with medical staff to facilitate discharge rounds. These recommendations are tailored to a hospital's specific needs and issues.

Additionally, each hospital participates in the following activities:

• Conferences, conference calls, and networking to learn from & problem solve with peer institutions;
• Educational programs to learn the latest techniques to drive institutional performance improvement techniques;
• Web based measurement system to track progress and compare performance with peers.

Urgent Matters will share these tools and lessons learned in future issues of the E-Newsletter and other communication activities.