CLIENT: Martin Health System Stuart, FL
CASE STUDY
High volumes of admitted patients waiting for inpatient beds lead to decreased capacity in ED. Knowing that the inpatient capacity will not be increased significantly in the near future and that improvement work is being done to help increase bed availability, the emergency department must assume that they will continue to hold admitted patients until a bed is available.
SERVICE: Transformation
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
METHOD: Kaizen Event
Array partnered with Martin Health System (MHS) and HKS to facilitate process analysis and process design of an emergency department (ED) renovation. During this engagement, a multi-functional team of stakeholders from MHS participated in current state and future state mapping exercises to define how they would like to
Challenge
work, and developed a plan for reaching their goals.
Due to a need for inpatient capacity, Martin Health System uses the emergency department to hold admitted patients waiting for a room. This decreases their available capacity to treat new patients.
As Array led the team through the mapping exercises, members developed a better understanding of how each patient moves through the ED. Due to the number of admitted patients held in the ED because of limited inpatient capacity, the team wanted to ensure that the new process would focus on providing high-quality, effective care to all patients. Uncertainty around resource utilization resulted in a detailed study of patient flow through the ED, and the effect that holding admitted patients has on resource
Solution
utilization. Array used a simulation model to test different scenarios and determine the best resource allocation plan for the ED. The simulation model’s results
The Martin team focused on delivering efficient and effective emergency care, while providing a safe place to hold admitted patients. Array developed a simulation model to determine the appropriate number of holding and treatment beds for the Martin ED. This led to a new patient flow in the ED.
PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS
<5
min
demonstrate the trade-off between resource capacity and throughput time. Upon completion of the mapping events, key improvement opportinities became apparent to the team. Utilizing the transformation plan to guide these activities, MHS could see potential increases in patient satisfaction and improved emergency care.
EXPECTED AVERAGE WAIT FOR PROVIDER
18
TREATMENT BEDS NEEDED
15
SIMULATION MODEL SCENARIOS TESTED