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.
Benussi
G
G
School of Hygiene, University of Trieste, Istituto per l'Infanzia Burlo Garolofolo, Italia.
Matthews
L H
LH
Daris
F
F
Crevatin
E
E
Nedoclan
G
G
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