Use of patient flow analysis to improve patient visit efficiency by decreasing wait time in a primary care-based disease management programs for anticoagulation and chronic pain: a quality improvement study

Abstract

Background: Patients with chronic conditions require frequent care visits. Problems can arise during several parts of the patient visit that decrease efficiency, making it difficult to effectively care for high volumes of patients. The purpose of the study is to test a method to improve patient visit efficiency.

Teaching Quality Improvement in Occupational Medicine

“…16 Shortening visit time by 21% (28 minutes) is robust and comparable to other QI projects that successfully improved the efficiency of outpatient clinic visits. 6,[17][18][19][20] Limitations This report has inherent limitations. First, the project did not randomize patients to interventions and thus the quality of evidence is limited.…”

Improving Visit Cycle Time Using Patient Flow Analysis in a High–Volume Inner–City Hospital–Based Ambulatory Clinic Serving Minority New Yorkers

“…PFA is an uncomplicated technique that can be used for improving outpatient clinic performance. The staff required for conducting PFA is no more that normally found in a primary care clinic; this negates the need to hire external consultants to identify areas of deficiency in the process of patient care, allowing clinic staff familiar with the patient flow process to develop a sense of ownership to resolve the problems (Potisek et al, 2007). PFA effectively identifies areas in the provision of care process for improvement, target interventions, and measures the effectiveness of such interventions.…”

Implementation and Quality Improvement of a Screening and Counseling Program for Unhealthy Alcohol Use in an Academic General Internal Medicine Practice

“…It is recognized as a Level 3 Patient-Centered Medical Home and has over a 15-year history of conducting formal quality improvement activities. (Cavanaugh, Jones, Embree, Tsai, Miller, Shilliday et al, 2014; DeWalt, Malone, Bryant, Kosnar, Corr, Rothman et al, 2006; Jonas, Bryant Shilliday, Laundon, & Pignone, 2010; Jonas, Evans, McLeod, Brode, Lange, Young et al, 2013; Kiser, Jonas, Warner, Scanlon, Shilliday, & DeWalt, 2012; Potisek, Malone, Shilliday, Ives, Chelminski, DeWalt et al, 2007; Rothman, DeWalt, Malone, Bryant, Shintani, Crigler et al, 2004; Rothman, Malone, Bryant, Shintani, Crigler, Dewalt et al, 2005; Rothman, So, Shin, Malone, Bryant, Dewalt et al, 2006) Prior to implementation of this screening program for unhealthy alcohol use, our practice did not routinely screen patients for unhealthy alcohol use. When we initially developed and implemented our program, UNC used a home-grown electronic health record.…”