Physician leads access improvements in the ED

Dr Kristian Hecht, an Emergency Department (ED) physician at Lions Gate Hospital (LGH), wanted to find a better way to leverage the floor plan and manpower available to the Emergency Department (ED). She had watched as ED patient volumes increased steadily each year over the past seven years.

The engagement: health authority, ED teams

Dr. Hecht collaborated with key ED stakeholders to coordinate solutions; transforming 19 patient spaces from a First Aid area to manage and assess ambulatory patients.

Triaging to new zones allowed both spaces to be used adequately and sharing the workspace between MDs and RNs far improved communication.

The patient assessment/treatment process better organized the waiting room and enhanced patient quality.

Results and impact: improved flow, reduced wait times, and more

The effort reduced patient flow through the ED, reduced patient wait-times, decrease in non-physician tasks, improved patient quality and satisfaction, and improved organization and scalability for future demands.
 

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