Patient Flow Initiative Eliminates Barriers to Discharge.

When Intermountain Medical Center in Murray, UT, reached capacity a few months after opening, a year-long initiative on patient flow determined that part of the holdup was taking care of last-minute details. Each unit holds a multidisciplinary care coordination meeting every day to discuss each patient and what they need to go to the next level of care. The team sets an anticipated discharge date during the first meeting, giving everyone on the team a target for carrying out their responsibilities. The unit charge nurse chairs the meetings and ensures team members carry out their responsibilities for moving the patient toward discharge.