Waits, delays, and cancellations are so common in health care that patients and providers assume that waiting is an inevitable part of the care process. For years, hospitals responded to delays by adding resources — more beds and buildings or more staff — as the only way to deal with an increasingly needy population. But, recent studies on hospital delays suggest that the problem is not stretched resources — it's flow.
Poor patient flow affects all clinical areas. Quality of care is affected when patients are placed in holding patterns, “boarded” in the emergency department (ED) or post anesthesia care unit (PACU), managed “off service,” or subject to delayed medical or surgical admissions.
IHI is pleased to offer our On Demand Presentation: Getting Started on Flow. This On Demand presentation will help participants understand how patient flow affects safety, staff satisfaction, and patient outcomes. Participants will learn how to assess patient flow and identify improvement opportunities within their hospitals.
Upon completion, participants will be able to:
- Understand the impact of patient flow on safety, staff satisfaction and patient outcomes
- Describe the effect of variability on patient flow
- Apply the Flow Diagnostic Tool to determine where flow problems exist in your organization
