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

Purpose: This study aimed to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of patient flow from the emergency department (ED) to the intensive care unit (ICU) in a super specialty hospital.

Design/methodology/approach: The study was conducted in the emergency department of a super-specialized hospital, focusing on inpatients requiring subsequent admission to the intensive care unit (ICU). It employed a cross-sectional observational design, utilizing primary data collected through first-hand observations via a data tracking sheet. Data analysis encompassed pre- and post-intervention phases, with 232 patients, including 108 patients in the pre-intervention phase and 124 patients in the post-intervention phase, to ensure statistically meaningful results. The study has also utilized tools such as Project Charter, Microsoft Excel, SIPOC, CTC and CTQ, DPMO, Six Sigma, Value Stream Mapping and Root Cause Analysis.

Findings: Reduced turnaround time (TAT) by 81%, increased value-added activity percentage from 24.4 to 37.2%, improved sigma level from 2.25 to 2.82 and decreased DPMO (defects per million opportunities) from 226,852 to 92,742.

Originality/value: This study focuses on a specific aspect of healthcare process improvement within a super-specialty hospital, employs a comprehensive Six Sigma methodology and statistical analysis to identify bottlenecks and improve efficiency, and focuses on TAT reduction and defect elimination.