Trauma Centers More Important Than Ever
With the coronavirus situation still in full-swing, some U.S. hospitals are scrambling to reorganize to treat patients with respiratory disease. Some hospitals have created coronavirus wings, some have negative pressure rooms, and some have ad hoc triage areas where they can assess incoming patients in terms of priority and need. Hospitals that do not have trauma center verification have added challenges in trying to effectively adjust to the changing medical needs of the patients they serve. Here are three reasons why re-vamping your trauma center is important.
1. Efficiency and Workflow
Improving throughput and processes creates greater efficiency. This is important in any season, but it is especially true in times of increased visits. Establishing a workflow that is seamless results in decreased wait time and allows you to see many more patients than you would without it and to do so effectively while providing quality care.
2. Improved Metrics
If patients can experience reduced wait times, quality care, and professional, courteous staff, they are going to be satisfied with the care they receive. This results in increased customer satisfaction survey results, which is a key component of metrics for certification and to track performance, in general. Employee satisfaction tends to improve as a result of these factors, as well, and employee satisfaction leads to improved employee retention.
3. Ability to Pivot
If your trauma center has been through an efficiency re-design and is operating effectively, you are much better positioned to adjust quickly to unforeseen scenarios that result in increased visits due to natural disaster or an emergency event impacting high numbers of patients. If you have a workflow and processes that work, pivoting to make short-term adjustments is much easier.
Trauma center and emergency room design are just as important as efficient processes and throughput in a manufacturing environment. The right workflow will make your job easier, provide for a better quality of care, and improve your reporting metrics and patient satisfaction in tangible ways.