A process improvement study on patient flow from emergency department to intensive care unit

What is it about?

A study was conducted at a super-specialized hospital to enhance the transfer process of patients from the emergency department (ED) to the intensive care unit (ICU). Using a cross-sectional observational design, data was gathered from 232 inpatients, with 108 in the pre-intervention phase and 124 in the post-intervention phase. Various analytical tools such as Project Charter, Microsoft Excel, SIPOC, CTC & CTQ, DPMO, Six Sigma, Value Stream Mapping, and Root Cause Analysis were employed. Results showed a remarkable 81% reduction in Turn Around Time (TAT), an increase in value-added activity percentage from 24.4% to 37.2%, enhancement of the Sigma level from 2.25 to 2.82, and a decrease in DPMO from 226,852 to 92,742. This study contributes to healthcare process improvement within super-specialty hospitals by employing a comprehensive Six Sigma approach to identify and address bottlenecks, focusing on TAT reduction and defect elimination.

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