Improving patient flow in ambulatory care through computerized evaluation techniques.
The Authors describe the application of Patient Flow Analysis (P.F.A.), an efficiency evaluation technique in a Gynaecologic Clinic in a large Provincial Hospital. This technique evaluates both patient flow and staff utilization in ambulatory settings. Staff efficiency (percentage of work time spent with patients) was low, (43% for clinicians and 36% for aides, and patients waiting time was excessive (average 2 hours 44 minutes) for only 35 minutes of service time, and could have been substantially reduced by a more personalized appointment pattern and punctual starting of clinics by the clinicians. The usefulness of Patient Flow Analysis is clearly demonstrated.
School of Hygiene, University of Trieste, Istituto per l'Infanzia Burlo Garolofolo, Italia.
G
G
Benussi
L H
LH
Matthews
F
F
Daris
E
E
Crevatin
G
G
Nedoclan
D000553:Ambulatory Care / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D001071:Appointments and Schedules; D003201:Computers; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005260:Female; D006176:Gynecology / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D010349:Patient Compliance; D013019:South Africa; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis; D013996:Time and Motion Studies