Can Digital Smart Workflows in a Hospital Free Staff from Documentation and Administrative Work?

Area of Science:

• Health Informatics
• Hospital Administration
• Process Optimization

Background:

• Administrative tasks in hospitals are time-consuming and impact efficiency.
• Digitalization offers potential solutions for streamlining healthcare operations.
• The ScanProCare! project aimed to evaluate digitally supported workflows in a German hospital network.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the impact of smart, digitally supported workflows on administrative efficiency.
• To quantify time savings in operating rooms (ORs), intensive care units (ICUs), and normal wards.
• To identify factors influencing the success of digital workflow implementation.

Main Methods:

• Longitudinal evaluation design comparing pre- and post-implementation data.
• Quantification of process frequency and duration changes.
• Analysis of administrative tasks in ORs, ICUs, and normal wards.

Main Results:

• Significant time reductions in OR documentation (9.09%), implant (65%), and material documentation (50%).
• Material request times were halved, saving 2,720 hours annually.
• Normal wards achieved substantial savings: 9,235 hours for documentation and 5,804 for requests.

Conclusions:

• Digitally supported workflows can enhance operational efficiency in hospitals.
• Challenges such as incomplete master data and training needs can limit full benefits.
• Continuous system refinement and robust user support are essential for maximizing efficiency gains from digital workflows.