W1: Creating a hospital drum beat: improving daily patient flow


26 August 2024 | 12:00-16:00


Format: Workshop
Stream: n/a


As pressure grows on hospital services, it can be easy to look outside for the answers. “If only…
… there was better primary care.”
… patients didn’t choose to come to the ED.”
… there were better pathways to community care.”
… our government would invest more in healthcare services.”


While these challenges (and many others) are real for most jurisdictions, they often require solutions that will not reduce demand on Emergency Departments in the near term.


This session will focus on how hospital teams can reduce delays for patients and the pressure on Emergency Departments by focusing on the daily flow within the hospital – leading to an environment that is safe and calm for both patients and staff.


Outcomes
By the end of this session, participants will:



  • Understand the impact of misaligned flow across the hospital

  • Know where to focus first

  • Understand the key measures to use for improvement and monitoring of hospital flow

  • Have a simple tool to use to identify opportunities for improvement in their organisation.


Stephanie Easthope Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI), Australia