A workflow model to analyse pediatric emergency overcrowding

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Management
• Operations Research
• Pediatric Emergency Medicine

Background:

• Patient flow delays in Pediatric Emergency Departments (PEDs) are a significant issue, with waiting times for hospital admission accounting for 70% of patient time in PED waiting rooms.
• Overcrowding in PEDs leads to extended patient stays and potential compromises in care quality.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify key indicators of tension and bottlenecks within the patient flow process in a Pediatric Emergency Department.
• To develop a comprehensive workflow model for analyzing PED operations and pinpointing areas for improvement.
• To inform the development of preventative strategies and indicators for managing PED strain.

Main Methods:

• Patient flow mapping was conducted over a two-year period (January 2011 - December 2012) at the Regional University Hospital Center (CHRU) of Lille, France.
• Real-world data from PED visits were collected and analyzed to create a detailed workflow model of the patient journey.
• The model was used to represent PED processes accurately and identify sources of delay and operational inefficiencies.

Main Results:

• The developed workflow model accurately represented the patient journey within the Lille CHRU PED.
• Key sources of delay in patient flow were identified, highlighting specific bottlenecks contributing to overcrowding.
• The study provided a basis for analyzing PED dysfunctions and estimating indicators for preventing patient flow strain.

Conclusions:

• Workflow modeling using real data is effective for identifying patient flow bottlenecks in PEDs.
• Understanding and addressing these bottlenecks can significantly reduce waiting times and improve operational efficiency.
• This research contributes to the ANR HOST project, aiming to optimize hospital operations and mitigate strain.