Problem Identified
Signed consents, H&P’s, clinical notes, and surgical site markings are missing prior to the start of patient procedures. The result is decreased patient safety, delayed start times, staff inefficiency, and non-compliance with Joint Commission requirements.
Solution Implemented
-10 Hrs
Clerical Labor Reduction
JCAHO Compliance
The real-time tracking of patients was integrated with a pre-surgical checklist that managed the status of consents, H&P’s, clinical notes, and surgical site markings for each case. A real-time, comprehensive schedule displaying these statuses was then made transparent to all constituents responsible for complying with the mandated Joint Commission requirements. In addition, visual alerts made key personnel aware of when specific requirements under their control needed immediate attention.
Benefits Documented
Administrators documented that the solution implemented has streamlined their execution of Joint Commission requirements and has led to reductions in pages, phone calls, and case delays. Surgeons acknowledge that the real-time visibility of missing consents, H&P’s, clinical notes, and surgical site markings has modified their behavior and led to improved JCAHO compliance. In addition, automated reports that support compliance reporting requirements have reduced clerical labor by 10 man-hours per month.