Question

What should be the first step of the hospital improvement project focused on reducing the time between a patient discharge order and the patient's actual discharge?

1) Gather baseline data
2) Define the sub-processes
3) Identify non-value added steps
4) Implement a discharge checklist

Answer 1

The first step of the hospital improvement project should be to gather baseline data. The next step is to define the sub-processes involved in the discharge process. Finally, non-value added steps should be identified.

Step-by-step explanation:

1. The first step of the hospital improvement project focused on reducing the time between a patient discharge order and the patient's actual discharge should be to gather baseline data. This involves collecting information about the current average length of time it takes for patients to be discharged after a discharge order is given.
2. Once the baseline data is collected, the next step is to define the sub-processes involved in the discharge process. This will help identify all the steps and activities that occur from the time the discharge order is given to the actual discharge of the patient.
3. After defining the sub-processes, the third step is to identify non-value added steps. These are steps that do not contribute to the efficiency or effectiveness of the discharge process and can be eliminated or modified to reduce the overall time.