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The holiday season often leads to a rise in accidents and injuries. As people engage in travel, cooking, setting up decorations, and rushing for holiday shopping, emergency departments (EDs) nationwide brace for higher patient volumes due to these seasonal activities.
In this article, we discuss several methods and ED workflow enhancements to manage the holiday patient surge effectively, offering relief to your medical staff, and, hopefully, something to be thankful for this holiday season.
The overlap of personal and professional responsibilities is a significant factor in physician stress during the autumn and winter. Additionally, poor handling of the seasonal influx can negatively impact an emergency department's performance metrics with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), leading to repercussions that linger beyond the bunting.
As we approach the festive season, it's crucial for Chief Nursing Officers (CNOs) and ED directors to prioritize solutions for handling the expected increase in ER visits. We have identified three primary areas for improving patient flow efficiency:
Improving patient flow starts with enhanced visibility. A comprehensive understanding of patient, staff, and resource statuses is essential for identifying optimization opportunities.
Typically, admissions coordinators may physically check for updates, but during the holiday rush, they're more likely to be anchored to their workstations. Busy clinicians moving between patients may not have time for regular updates.
Adopting an EHR-integrated analytics solution allows staff to monitor real-time workflows and utilize predictive analysis. This approach enables EDs to anticipate bed availability during peak times and adjust staff allocation to alleviate congestion.
Efficient communication is vital when handling everything from minor injuries to critical emergencies. Traditional paper-based methods often lead to delays; documents can get misplaced or misinterpreted. Reliance on handwritten notes or verbal updates is inefficient and prone to errors.
Emergency departments should review their communication methods, especially in preparation for the holiday season. Identifying and addressing communication barriers at each treatment stage is crucial. Implementing standardized communication protocols can effectively eliminate these barriers.
While automation isn't a panacea for all ED challenges, it can significantly reduce the impact of human error in emergency procedures.
An advanced EDIS with predictive technology integrates a unified platform for streamlined communication and process visibility. An effective system demands minimal manual intervention, enhances time management, and optimizes care delivery.
MEDHOST EDIS is designed to optimize communication, automate workflows, increase patient throughput, and enhance patient satisfaction. Developed with input from physicians and nurses, our system is tailored for workflow efficiency and patient safety, eliminating cumbersome interfaces and unnecessary steps.
Discover how MEDHOST EDIS can elevate your ED's performance during the holiday season and beyond. Contact us at 1.800.383.6278 or email inquiries@medhost.com for more information.
