Optimize Patient Flow with Real-Time Location Data
Optimizing patient flow requires analyzing all workflow steps beyond just EHR data, as EHR often misses critical wait times and real-time insights, but implementing Real-Time Location Systems (RTLS) that track patients via badges can automatically capture comprehensive, real-time throughput data from arrival to discharge, enabling immediate visibility and actionable improvements in healthcare settings.
When optimizing patient flow, it is important to analyze all steps in the workflow to determine which provide value and which do not. Data from existing systems, such as electronic health records (EHR), is often used to measure the duration of each step and identify opportunities for workflow improvement. However, relying solely on EHR data can create blind spots.
For example, Length of Stay (LOS) is typically measured from the time staff complete registration to when they document the patient’s discharge. While this information is available in the EHR, it does not account for the time patients spend waiting to check in and register, which is also significant. Similarly, the time between a patient arriving in the exam or operating room and waiting for the provider may not be accurately reflected in documentation. Manual data entry can lead to inaccuracies, especially if staff are called away to other tasks, making some data points unreliable.
Many components of patient throughput data may be missing, including those most valuable for understanding the patient experience and identifying process delays. This issue is even more pronounced in ambulatory care settings, where only the patient check-in time is often documented, leaving other milestones unrecorded. As a result, there is a lack of transparency regarding patient wait times, patient-provider interactions, and total visit duration.
Additionally, EHR data is retrospective and does not allow for real-time intervention. Without the ability to measure processes as they happen, it is difficult to implement timely improvements.
Real-Time Location Systems (RTLS) can help healthcare organizations address these blind spots by automatically collecting patient throughput data in real-time. Having patients wear an RTLS badge during their visit enables the automatic collection of arrival-to-discharge data, which is immediately visible and actionable for staff. The key to effective patient flow is balancing demand and capacity, and real-time data allows for fine-tuning processes as needed.
Examples of RTLS Impact
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Ambulatory Practice: In multidisciplinary ambulatory practices, the arrival and registration process is crucial for keeping appointments on schedule. RTLS enables a real-time queuing system that creates an orderly, HIPAA-compliant registration and rooming process, while providing accurate data on arrival and registration wait times. Staff can prioritize patients based on specialty schedules and adjust workflows to keep practices on time.
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Throughout the Patient Visit: RTLS automatically measures patient wait times, notifies staff of extended waits, and alerts practitioners when patients are ready to be seen. This real-time awareness improves efficiency for both patients and staff.
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Radiology and Imaging Departments: RTLS provides real-time knowledge of outpatient arrivals and the location of inpatients needing exams, allowing technologists to maximize service delivery and minimize wait times for all patients.
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Operating Room (OR): Room turnaround time (TAT) is a pivotal transition for throughput. RTLS measures the actual time between patient exit and entry, tracks the time spent by each staff type during turnover, and notifies team members when the suite is ready for cleaning or the next patient. It also enables automated updates for patient families, reducing the burden on staff to provide status updates.
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COVID-19 and Communicable Diseases: RTLS supports workflow redesigns to limit pathogen exposure, such as transitioning to virtual waiting rooms with contactless check-in and self-rooming.
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Contact Tracing: RTLS is a critical tool for contact tracing, enabling efficient reporting on interactions among people. When staff and patients wear RTLS badges, all contacts and their durations are monitored, allowing for prompt follow-up actions such as isolation or monitoring if necessary.
By providing crucial data for all aspects of the care process, Real-Time Location Systems help uncover blind spots and create optimal experiences for patients, families, and staff.
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Hospital capacity management involves dynamically balancing patient demand with resources such as beds and staff through tailored technologies, policies, and practices to optimize efficiency, reduce costs, and improve patient outcomes, especially critical during fluctuating admission rates like those seen during COVID-19.