CLIENT:
Martin Health System CASE STUDY
Stuart, FL
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.
CHALLENGE
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Due to a need for inpatient capacity,
Array partnered with Martin Health System (MHS) and HKS to facilitate process
Martin Health System uses the emergency
analysis and process design of an emergency department (ED) renovation. During
department to hold admitted patients
this engagement, a multi-functional team of stakeholders from MHS participated in
waiting for a room. This decreases their
current state and future state mapping exercises to define how they would like to
available capacity to treat new patients.
work, and developed a plan for reaching their goals. 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
SOLUTION Kaizen Event
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.
The Martin team focused on delivering
Uncertainty around resource utilization resulted in a detailed study of patient flow
efficient and effective emergency care,
through the ED, and the effect that holding admitted patients has on resource
while providing a safe place to hold
utilization. Array used a simulation model to test different scenarios and determine
admitted patients. Array developed
the best resource allocation plan for the ED. The simulation model’s results
a simulation model to determine the
demonstrate the trade-off between resource capacity and throughput time.
appropriate number of holding and treatment beds for the Martin ED. This led to a new patient flow in the ED.
PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS
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.
<5min Expected Average Wait for Provider
18
Treatment Beds Needed
15
Simulation Model Scenarios Tested