Why a data-driven, collaborative approach can increase patient throughput
Emergency room patients care about two things: Being seen by a provider and finding out what comes next — and both as quickly as possible. Still, solving patient throughput issues is a persistent challenge for health- care executives, who must balance the inherently unpredictable nature of emergency medicine with high labor costs, dwindling reimbursements and the transition away from the traditional fee-for-service model. Even more, social media and increased competition for patients among hospitals and health systems are disrupting emergency medicine by forcing providers to put a greater emphasis on customer service and wait-time reduction.