
Improving Clinical Workflow: An Example from the Emergency Department
ED workflow, when it is efficient, saves time, money, and lives. In the shift to value-based reimbursements, it can also significantly affect payment. A few ways CMS measures the care quality in an ED includes median time of arrival to department for admitted patients, for discharged patients, and median time from admit decision to departure for admitted patients. This means that the workflow of EDs will be publicly evaluated. To improve workflow and throughput, it’s helpful to look at two things: a value-stream map and throughput analytics. Using the Health Catalyst application Patient Flow Explorer, you can see all this and more.