Sharon Piruzza RPN
Hotel Dieu Grace Hospital
Windsor, ON
Mandy Dionne
Hotel Dieu Grace Hospital
Windsor, ON
Karlie Strong RN
Hotel Dieu Grace Hospital
Windsor, ON
Elizabeth Clarke BSW
Hotel Dieu Grace Hospital
Windsor, ON
Peggy Oldfield MScN, RN
Hotel Dieu Grace Hospital
Windsor, ON
LEAN manufacturing processes, honed in the automotive industry, are now being evaluated as a means for improving processes in the health care sector. Improving the flow of patients through the hospital experience should eliminate delays which contribute to the cost of health care. The staff on a patient care unit became involved in utilizing LEAN manufacturing principles as a means of process improvement through the FLO Collaborative. The team conjectured that if the flow of patients through its unit could be improved, usage of available beds would be optimized, and congestion throughout the hospital could be alleviated.
A visual system was implemented which identifies patients’ readiness for discharge using colored symbols similar to those on a traffic light. Patients expected to be discharged within the next 24 hours are designated as ‘Green Light’. Those expected to leave within 24 – 48 hours are considered to be ‘Yellow Light’. Patients who will be staying 3 or more days are ‘Red Light’. Information provided by this system facilitates timely coordinated planning for patient care and discharge. Patient and staff satisfaction is increased. Flow improvements resulted in the spread of the project throughout the organization.