Graphically Representing the Hospital Patient Throughput Continuum

Today’s post is a graphical representation of my view of the patient throughput continuum and the factors that impact hospital resource use and allocation. I title it “Factors for Efficiency in Hospital Resource Use and Allocation.“

The top line call out boxes show demand and capacity indicators while the bottom shows the mechanisms that impact these goals.

More specifically, hospital resource demand indicators include factors such as:

 

• Admission volume
• Transfer center growth
• Average daily census
• Length of stay
• ED Indicators (Volume, LOS, Admit Rate)
• Lost Business (LWBS, Transfer Center Declines)

These are particularly relevant as the patient enters the hospital system.

Hospital resource capacity indicators vary based on when the patient is transported and settles into a room and is transported to/from treatment. These indicators include direct admits (stable) admitted to Bed (not ED), reduced wait times (right bed, first time), improved staff productivity and enhanced equipment availability.

While the patient is treated, capacity indicators include:

• Improved OR, procedural & ancillary care utilization
• Reduction in OR holds
• Alignment of staffing with demand
• Increased patient satisfaction
• Increased physician satisfaction
• Reduced equipment delays

As it relates to patient discharge, capacity indicators relate to a reduction in inpatient length of stay and reduced ‘dead bed’ time.

Here is the graphic so you can explore it in more detail.

At TeleTracking, we have more than 20 years’ experience in patient throughput and overcrowding, asset management, and inter-hospital patient transfer. In the process, we and our clients have recognized that an operational platform yields a wealth of practical data which can be applied to not only operational improvement, but business development as well.

In quantifying these results, we can attribute significant revenue increases, or revenue opportunities foregone, as a result of throughput delays that prevent the hospital from optimally utilizing its existing bed capacity.

Do you agree I’ve captured the biggest challenges and impacts to patient throughput in this graphical representation of the hospital patient throughput continuum?  What have I missed?

If you’re a hospital administrator, what are the main challenges you face in patient throughput?  How do you quantify these improvements in terms of economic impact?