Utilizing EHR Automation to Improve Safety of Newly Admitted Patients With Tracheostomy

The project aimed to improve the safety of hospitalized tracheostomy and laryngectomy adults by reducing the time to initial respiratory therapist assessment and the delivery of emergency equipment to the bedside.

Tracheostomy and laryngectomy patients are classified as a low-volume, high-risk patient population. The specialized care and equipment needed for them are essential, especially in an acute care setting like a hospital. The ability to ensure safety equipment compliance at the time of admission is a challenge as it relies heavily on communication, which can be subject to human error. Three months of retrospective data were analyzed, which led the team to identify a gap in the notification process. The project team created an automated pager notification of new patients needing assessment and delivery of emergency equipment, triggered by an EHR notification when the patient's status changed to admitted.

A Kruskal-Wallis test compared time to assessment between the 2 groups and established that the difference was not statistically significant (P=0.121). However, the lower mean and median times to assessment in the postintervention group are clinically significant for this population.

Automated notifications were effective in reducing delays in care and delivery of emergency equipment for this vulnerable population. ​.