Lean Six Sigma Reduces Admission Delays in a Critical Access Hospital Emergency Department by 40%

Managing the flow of patient throughput is essential to preventing overcrowding in the emergency department (ED)—reducing the number of patients who leave without treatment and improving the timeliness of patient care and patient safety. Effective management of processes that support patient flow can minimize delays in the delivery of care, which can improve patient, family and physician satisfaction and improve the timeliness of treatment.

Using Lean Six Sigma process improvement methodologies, a critical access hospital reduced the mean time from admit decision to patient discharge from the ED by 40 percent (p=0.000), which improved patient and physician satisfaction by 12 percentile points and enhanced timely treatment for patients admitted from the ED.

This case study is part of the Illinois Health and Hospital Association's annual Quality Excellence Achievement Awards. Each year, IHA recognizes and celebrates the achievements of Illinois hospitals and health systems in continually improving and transforming health care in the state. These organizations are improving health by striving to achieve the Triple Aim—improving the patient experience of care (including quality and satisfaction), improving the health of populations, and reducing the per capita cost of health care—and the Institute of Medicine's six aims for improvement—safe, effective, patient centered, timely, efficient, and equitable. To learn more, visit https://www.ihaqualityawards.org/javascript-ui/IHAQualityAward/