Patient journeys: the process of clinical redesign.
*Clinical process redesign is a successful improvement method that has been used to increase access to health services in 60 public hospitals across New South Wales, and at Flinders Medical Centre (FMC) in South Australia. *The method focuses on the patient journey as the primary improvement locus, and uses process mapping to identify the value-adding steps in that journey; it involves redesign teams identifying and eliminating non-value-adding steps to improve flow and reduce delays in access to emergency and elective care. *The method engages clinicians, managers, patients and carers, and delivers real gains in health care delivery. *This article outlines the clinical process redesign programs being used by NSW Health and at FMC.
Ben-Tovim
David I
DI
Flinders Medical Centre, Adelaide, SA, Australia. David.Ben-Tovim@fmc.sa.gov.au
Dougherty
Melissa L
ML
O'Connell
Tony J
TJ
McGrath
Katherine M
KM
D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000458:organization & administration; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007324:Institutional Management Teams; D009517:New South Wales; D009936:Organizational Innovation; D010346:Patient Care Management / Q000458:organization & administration*; D010359:Patient Readmission; D010557:Personnel Administration, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D017064:Process Assessment, Health Care; D017749:Total Quality Management / Q000458:organization & administration*