title: Intra-unit patient transports: time, motion, and cost impact on hospital efficiency.
abstract: The costly and inefficient movement of patients within the hospital challenges health systems across the country as they strive to simultaneously contain rising costs and provide high-quality patient care. Solid evidence to support the improvement of hospital and patient care efficiency through the identification and suggested elimination of waste patterns within the transport process is presented.
authors.affiliation: Ascension Health, St. Louis, MO, USA.
authors.forename: Ann L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Hendrich
authors.forename: Nelson
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D001509:Bed Occupancy; D002983:Clinical Competence / Q000592:standards; D003144:Communication Barriers; D003266:Continuity of Patient Care; D003625:Data Collection; D004180:Direct Service Costs; D004282:Documentation; D017598:Efficiency, Organizational; D005568:Forms and Records Control; D006739:Hospital Administration / Q000592:standards*; D006742:Hospital Bed Capacity; D006801:Humans; D017146:Models, Organizational; D015401:Nursing Administration Research; D010043:Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care; D010360:Patient Transfer / Q000458:organization & administration*; D010561:Personnel Staffing and Scheduling / Q000458:organization & administration; D010564:Personnel, Hospital / Q000193:education / Q000523:psychology / Q000600:supply & distribution*; D018570:Risk Assessment / Q000458:organization & administration; D013597:Systems Analysis; D013996:Time and Motion Studies; D017749:Total Quality Management / Q000458:organization & administration; D016526:Workload