Project Charter for Quality-Improvement Redesign of Workflows in the Emergency Room Admittance Process
- Title of the project: Improve patient flow and satisfaction by redesigning emergency room admission process.
- Project goal: Improve patient satisfaction and flow in the Emergency Room Admission Process by streamlining admissions and reducing waiting times.
- The project scope will be to improve the process of admission for patients who enter the Emergency Room in our hospital.
- Project Team: The team will include representatives of the Emergency Room nursing team, physicians, patients’ representatives and quality improvement experts.
- Project timeline The project will take six months to complete. Monthly progress reports are provided by the hospital administration.
- Project objectives: the project will meet these goals.
a. 50% less waiting time for patients during admission. b. Increase the patient satisfaction by 25 percent with admissions. Communication and collaboration improvements between the nursing staff, physicians and admission staff during the process of admission.
- Project Methodology: To test and improve changes in the admission process, the project will use a method of quality-improvement, which includes Plan-Do-Study-Acts (PDSA).
- Data Collection and Analysis: Prior to and following each PDSA, data will be collected on wait times for patients and patient satisfaction. These numbers are then analyzed to see if the new changes have been effective.
- Change Management: To implement changes in the admission process, change management principles will need to be applied. The change management process will involve staff training, communication, support, and other aspects.
- Communication: The project will involve regular communication with the hospital administration, employees, and patients to promote transparency.
- Measuring and mitigating risks: Throughout the project, the risks will be assessed and mitigated to ensure the successful implementation of the new admissions procedure.
- Project Evaluation: At the end of a six-month period, the project will be assessed to see if the project’s goals have been met and identify any areas that need improvement.
Following this project charter in 12 steps, it is possible to redesign an element of a healthcare service, like the process for admitting patients to an emergency department, so that the flow and quality of care are improved.