Improving the patient transfer process at Bellin Hospital.
METHODS
To facilitate timely and efficient transfers of patients on the cardiac service.


BACKGROUND
Nursing staff from the intensive care (ICU), intermediate care (IMCU), and step down units. Process Improvement Method: VALUE PLUS+, a scientific, problem-solving model developed at Bellin that requires statistical thinking. Timeline: March 1990-August 1991. Key Findings or Improvements: Mid-morning, early afternoon, and early evening are the ideal times for patient transfers; late morning and mid-to-late afternoon transfers should be avoided. Unit staff can plan transfers for preferable times by predicting the number of transfers from ICU and IMCU, based on a percentage of the previous day's census.


RESULTS
The number of process steps to transfer a patient was reduced from 21 to 13. 80 percent of transfers now occur during three designated time periods. The role of transport staff has been expanded to free up nursing time.
D016507:Cardiology Service, Hospital / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000592:standards* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006744:Hospital Bed Capacity, 100 to 299; D008332:Management Quality Circles; D017146:Models, Organizational; D009937:Organizational Objectives; D010354:Patient Escort Service / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000592:standards*; D010360:Patient Transfer / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000592:standards*; D011340:Problem Solving; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D014922:Wisconsin