Pre-admission testing is essential for adult elective procedures to ensure patient safety and positive outcomes. Unfortunately, the existing strategy often results in longer wait times, which is detrimental to patient satisfaction (Bouamrane & Mair, 2014). This project aims to address the issues causing prolonged wait times in pre-admission testing and implement targeted interventions to streamline the process, ultimately improving patient satisfaction.
Problem Description
Adult elective surgery pre-admission testing poses a severe issue characterized by extended wait times and consequent patient dissatisfaction (Stafinski et al., 2022). Healthcare systems worldwide struggle to balance providing excellent patient care and efficiently allocating resources (Badakhshan et al., 2015). Longer wait times, repeated appointments, delayed test results, and redundant testing are all consequences of the current inefficiencies in pre-admission testing. This problem is especially severe at the Brooklyn hospital under consideration since the current procedure is very complicated, requiring patients to make several trips to various sites, resulting in inadequate provider coordination (Bouamrane & Mair, 2014). The resulting strain on resources reduces patient satisfaction and hampers the hospital’s ability to fulfill elective surgery obligations promptly. Reducing patient suffering, maximizing the use of available resources, and enhancing the effectiveness of the global healthcare system all depend on addressing these systemic inefficiencies (Stafinski et al., 2022). The complex procedure of Pre-admission testing increases patient’s anxiety and lowers overall patient satisfaction. By addressing the root causes for prolonged wait times for pre-admission testing, the quality improvement project hopes to improve patient satisfaction, thus improving healthcare delivery’s overall effectiveness.
Local Problem
Long wait times and the resulting patient dissatisfaction with the pre-admission testing procedure are severe local issues. The current process has developed into a complex system requiring patients to experience insufficient coordination between healthcare professionals, frequent visits across several sites, and repetitive or incomplete testing. Patients experience discomfort and anxiety because of this complexity, which also adds more pressure to an already strained institution. The problem is made worse by the hospital’s misallocation of personnel, resources, and equipment, which makes it more challenging to satisfy the needs of patients scheduled for elective surgeries. The unfavorable consequences like delayed diagnosis, increased pain and discomfort, inefficiency in resource allocation, and additional financial burden reverberate throughout the healthcare system, frustrating patients and medical staff. This makes it difficult for the hospital to meet its responsibilities, which results in extended wait times and a noticeable decline in patient satisfaction. The well-being of individual patients and the medical institution’s overall effectiveness and reputation in offering high-quality elective surgical treatment depend on resolving this local issue.
Available Knowledge
The existing literature provides a foundation for comprehending the complex nature of pre-admission testing procedures; this literature offers insightful information about pre-operative assessment clinics (PACs) and the difficulties connected with waiting periods for elective surgery. The research by Bouamrane and Mair (2014) provides insight into creating and applying a patient access code (PAC) at the Dumfries and Galloway Royal Infirmary in Scotland. The multidisciplinary team approach used by the PAC, which consists of anesthetists, auxiliary nurses, and nurses, highlights the need for cooperation in maximizing patient readiness for surgery (Bouamrane & Mair, 2014). The Normalization Process Theory (NPT) provides a conceptual framework that clarifies the variables affecting the PAC’s effective integration. The literature emphasizes the importance of efficient information management procedures for the patient’s surgical route.
Research conducted by Badakhshan and colleagues (2015) highlights the worldwide issue of waiting periods for cardiac procedures, especially in light of the growing number of heart surgery facilities. The research at an Iranian hospital highlights the need for healthcare policy to overcome financial obstacles by identifying economic status as a critical factor in waiting times (Badakhshan et al., 2015). It also emphasizes how crucial patient education and participatory management are to raising patient happiness and improving the efficacy of healthcare as a whole.
Furthermore, Silvay et al.’s (2016) research provides a thorough approach to patient care, which examined a pre-operative clinic for same-day cardiac surgery. The clinic, headed by an anesthesiologist with training in cardiac care, seeks to improve patient happiness, minimize cancellations, and maximize patient care (Silvay et al., 2016). The advantages of comprehensive pre-operative work-ups, patient familiarity with personnel and facilities, and anesthesiologist participation in postoperative follow-up are highlighted in the research.
The study by Agnihotri et al. (2015) adds to the topic by concentrating on a Pre-Admission Testing Clinic (PATC) case study to explore analytics in healthcare. The study’s main challenge is increased wait times, even if its goal is to expedite pre-operative patient preparation (Agnihothri et al., 2015). Emphasizing the helpful use of data analysis in exposing system inadequacies and promoting changes in healthcare procedures, data collection, and analysis are used to pinpoint reasons and provide financially viable options for improvement.
A thorough analysis of the difficulties posed by extended wait periods for elective procedures in affluent countries is provided by Stafinski et al. (2022). The research evaluates several wait time reduction strategies, from simplified pre-admission procedures to increased non-physician responsibilities (Stafinski et al., 2022). Evidence on the effectiveness of these strategies varies, highlighting the complexity of addressing wait times in elective surgeries.
These studies contribute to the available knowledge by emphasizing the value of interdisciplinary cooperation, the impact of financial considerations, the comprehensive approach to patient care, the application of analytics, and the variety of strategies suggested to reduce lengthy wait times for elective surgeries. This existing knowledge forms a solid foundation for the proposed project to improve the pre-admission testing process and reduce wait times in adult elective surgeries.
Rationale for Conducting this Project
This project is being carried out because there is an immediate need to address the serious issues related to extended wait times for pre-admission testing for adult elective procedures. The inefficiencies of the present system significantly impact patient outcomes and the institution’s overall performance. Extended waiting times not only worsen patients’ mental and physical pain and discomfort but also put an additional strain on the hospital’s resources, which in turn makes patients and medical staff dissatisfied.
The project attempts to identify and address the root causes of prolonged wait times by conducting an extensive survey measuring patient satisfaction, which would help implement targeted interventions (Stafinski et al., 2022). The goal is to improve patient satisfaction, maximize resource use, and raise hospital standards of care by optimizing the pre-admission testing process (Stafinski et al., 2022). The initiative is crucial because it has the potential to decrease needless administrative burdens on staff and patients, enhance overall healthcare delivery efficiency, and enhance patient satisfaction.
Moreover, solving the local problem provides a model for more extensive reforms to the healthcare system. The information gathered from this project may help shape and motivate broader modifications to pre-admission testing protocols, which will further the continuous advancement of efficient and patient-focused healthcare practices. Ultimately, the rationale for this project stems from its capacity to promote constructive changes that improve patient outcomes, satisfaction, and the system’s overall efficacy.
Conclusion
In conclusion, this project addresses the critical problem of extended wait times during the pre-admission testing procedure for adult elective procedures. It seeks to improve patient satisfaction, simplify the complex process, and allocate resources as efficiently as possible by drawing on existing knowledge. The project is rationalized by its potential to enhance patient experiences, increase healthcare efficiency, and provide a model for more extensive systemic reforms (Stafinski et al., 2022). By identifying and correcting the root causes, the project contributes to a patient-centered approach, promoting positive adjustments that enhance the overall effectiveness of healthcare delivery and the well-being of individuals.
Reference
Agnihothri, S., Banerjee, A., & Thalacker, G. (2015, January). Analytics to improve service in a pre-admission testing clinic. In 2015 48th Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences (pp. 1325–1331). IEEE.
Badakhshan, A., Arab, M., Gholipour, M., Behnampour, N., & Saleki, S. (2015). Heart Surgery Waiting Time: Assessing the Effectiveness of an Action. Iranian Red Crescent Medical Journal, 17(8), e24851. https://doi.org/10.5812/ircmj.24851
Bouamrane, M. M., & Mair, F. S. (2014). A study of clinical and information management processes in the surgical pre-assessment clinic. BMC medical informatics and decision making, 14, 1-15.
Silvay, G., Goldberg, A., Gutsche, J. T., & T Augoustides, J. G. (2016). Same day admission for elective cardiac surgery: how to improve outcome with satisfaction and decrease expenses. Journal of Anesthesia, pp. 30, 444–448.
Stafinski, T., Nagase, F. N., Brindle, M. E., White, J., Young, A., Beesoon, S., … & Menon, D. (2022). Reducing wait times to surgery—an international review. J Hosp Manage Health Policy, 6, 29.
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