Success Stories

A Leading Florida HealthSystem Reduced Average LOS by 13 Hours

13 Hour reduction in average LoS while experiencing highest census levels in facility history

10% Decrease in discharge processing time during 23% increase in average daily census

32% Decrease in total ED boarding hours while experiencing 22% increase in ED visits

Summary

This leading Florida health system is one of the largest employers in their county and has received an IBM Watson Health Top 100 Hospital recognition as well as a Top 100 Hospital with Magnet Designation. With over 45,000 inpatient admissions, this system was looking for a digital transformation to streamline discharge management and care team coordination

Profile

Largest employer in local county

IBM Watson Health Top 100 Hospital

45,000+ inpatient admissions

Problem

As patient volumes grew, the organization faced increasing complexity in managing capacity and throughput. Variation in discharge management processes and the need for more coordinated access to real-time patient status and discharge barriers made it challenging for the Patient Logistics Center and Case Management to align on prioritizing patients for discharge. Enhanced visibility and consistent documentation became essential for supporting timely, effective patient progression.

Additionally, unreliable and interruptive communication methods such as in-person conversations or text messages delayed sharing or acting on critical information. These factors ultimately led to discharges taking longer than required, which exacerbated boarding issues in intake areas.

Solution

Partnering with LeanTaaS, this organization implemented iQueue for Inpatient Flow, enabling them to immediately automate discharge prioritization and patient predictions across the system. They were able to prioritize and drive discharges across the units of greatest need by leveraging accurate bottleneck and barrier predictions. This empowered the clinical coordinator to identify potential discharges and coordinate actions while a discharge expeditor was able to work cross-functionally on the day’s active discharges.

iQueue ensured a consistent and repeatable discharge process by addressing discharge barriers in advance, identifying easily discharged patients without active orders, and maintaining collaboration and communication from shift to shift.

Our average daily census is now in the mid-800s and we have not gone on diversion or refused transfers. Every surgery, every procedure, admission, and direct admit is accommodated. We do not back up the OR or the Cath lab. This is enabled by the tools we have from LeanTaaS because we can see where the potential roadblocks are in advance and act.

Executive Director of Logistics and Patient Throughput