Challenge
Update a 15-year-old emergency department where volumes have increased to such an extent that patient and staff conditions are unsafe and patients leave without being seen or fully accessed.
Solution
Keeping in the mind the census swings an urban ED experiences each day, it was essential to utilize process mapping and discrete event simulation to determine the optimal number of triage stations that can be staffed balancing cost, safety and staffing.
Result
Coupled with the lean work the hospital had already undertaken, a simulation model was built to study staffing and flow options. By observing the current state in the ED, and redesigning security, registration and check-in, two clinicians were able to return to bedside care and care for patients more efficiently and effectively.
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