title: Improving the efficiency of patient throughput via centralized inpatient scheduling.
abstract: Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center implemented a centralized scheduling system in order to increase efficiency and throughput, improve customer satisfaction, improve communication between departments,and create a single schedule (IP/ED/OP) per modality. Most resistance for the change came from technologists, so a formal design team was established for each modality, which included a core information systems (IS) team member,the lead technologist of the modality, and the technologist most able to influence the other technologists who might be resistant to change. Overall,throughput increased by 3.14% post-implementation of the inpatient scheduling software.
authors.affiliation: Group Health, Seattle, WA, USA. steffen.m@ghc.org
authors.forename: Mark W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Steffen
mesh_terms: D001071:Appointments and Schedules; D003142:Communication; D017598:Efficiency, Organizational; D006801:Humans; D007087:Illinois; D019982:Organizational Case Studies; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D011872:Radiology Department, Hospital / Q000458:organization & administration*; D013679:Technology, Radiologic; D014850:Waiting Lists