Patient Flow
by Tracy Fazzari
1. Quality of Care
1.1. Consistent care coordination
1.1.1. Seamless transitions
1.2. Compassion and care for patients and providers during pandemic
1.3. Shared vision with all team members at admission
1.3.1. Remote programs like Aetonix to allow access and monitoring of care throughout the journey
2. Patient Safety
2.1. IPAC policies
2.1.1. Public Health
2.1.2. Ministry of Ontario
2.1.3. Organization
3. Firm discharge plans
3.1. Patient, family and care team all informed
3.2. Discharge destination
3.2.1. Engage congregate settings early
3.2.2. Involve @BSO for patients with Dementia
3.3. Morning discharges
3.4. Direct referrals to expedite follow up care
3.5. Expedited discharges in Pandemic
3.6. Charleson Index, DAD, NACRS
3.7. LHIN: has a PSW been secured in the community
4. Communication Tools
4.1. Digital tools
4.1.1. Access to providers across entire care continuum
4.1.2. Timely access
4.1.3. Patient portal
5. Wait times
5.1. Secure surge plans involving all stakeholders
5.2. https://www.chthealthcare.com/blog/patient-flow
5.3. https://secure.cihi.ca/free_products/Emergency_Department_Wait_Times_III_2007_e.PDF
5.4. Guarded off-servicing
6. Fiscal responsibility and accountability
7. Organizational overview
7.1. Regular review and PDSA of process and flow
8. Virtual care provision
8.1. Create capacity
9. Education and messaging
9.1. Discharge packages (electronic) for community resources, care pathway, health promotion
9.2. Engaging corporate communications to ensure community is aware of Pandemic Parameters
10. Admission Avoidance and decreased LOS
10.1. Exhaust accessibility to clinics that support admission avoidance and decreased LOS (Heart Function, GIMRAC, Infectious Disease)
10.2. Audit telemetry orders
10.3. ALC tightly monitored
11. Pandemic Staffing
11.1. Strong relationship with HR for recruitment
11.2. Team nursing to support surge
11.2.1. Develop supportive algorithms/tools for team