Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is the most common preventable cause of hospital-related death. Yet, a random sample at hospital X revealed that only 26 percent of patients received prophylaxis and that they were not being risk stratified.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there are nearly 250,000 cases of central-line associated bloodstream infections every year in the U.S. Worse, the Institute for Healthcare Improvement estimates that approximately 14,000 people die annually from these infections. For hospitals, central-line bloodstream infections represent high-cost, high-volume scenarios.
Designed to ease overcrowding and lengthy wait times in its Emergency Department (ED), the Johns Hopkins Hospital Urgent Care Center nonetheless struggled to meet its 90-minute throughput goals. While some patients were easily in and out, others took twice as long. Baseline measurements revealed that only 26 percent of patients completed visits in less than 90 minutes. The analysis found, for example, that too much time was lost in examining rooms because patients still needed X-rays or consultations.
