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PubMed · 15580891

Focus on process slashes average cycle time by 37%.

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Abstract

Don't assume you know the cause of your overcrowding. Examine the data first. Six Sigma approach helps staff keep their eyes on the process and ultimately leads to the root cause of your problem. Adding more staff may not improve your overcrowding problems at all. Breaking down the process into smaller buckets makes it easier to problem solve.

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CrowdingEfficiency, OrganizationalEmergency Service, HospitalNew YorkOrganizational Case StudiesPersonnel Staffing and SchedulingTime and Motion StudiesJournal Article

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2004. Focus on process slashes average cycle time by 37%.. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15580891/

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PubMed2005

Emergency department overcrowding: the Emergency Department Cardiac Analogy Model (EDCAM).

Increasing patient numbers, changing demographics and altered patient expectations have all contributed to the current problem with 'overcrowding' in emergency departments (EDs). The problem has reached crisis level in a number of countries, with significant implications for patient safety, quality of care, staff 'burnout' and patient and staff satisfaction. There is no single, clear definition of the cause of overcrowding, nor a simple means of addressing the problem. For some hospitals, the option of ambulance diversion has become a necessity, as overcrowded waiting rooms and 'bed-block' force emergency staff to turn patients away. But what are the options when ambulance diversion is not possible? Christchurch Hospital, New Zealand is a tertiary level facility with an emergency department that sees on average 65,000 patients per year. There are no other EDs to whom patients can be diverted, and so despite admission rates from the ED of up to 48%, other options need to be examined. In order to develop a series of unified responses, which acknowledge the multifactorial nature of the problem, the Emergency Department Cardiac Analogy model of ED flow, was developed. This model highlights the need to intervene at each of three key points, in order to address the issue of overcrowding and its associated problems.

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