How Texas Oncology-Presbyterian Cancer Center Dallas Safely Accommodated a 25% Surge in Scheduled Patients After an Unexpected Closure

Speakers

INF Session 1_Lauren_Matthews_Texas Oncology
Lauren Matthews
BSN, RN, OCN Infusion Supervisor Texas Oncology Presbyterian Cancer Center Dallas

Summary

A 33-chair facility serving the entire metro area, Texas Oncology-Presbyterian Cancer Center Dallas faced a multi-day, unexpected closure due as an ice storm shut down the state for nearly a whole week. These unforeseen circumstances left that week’s worth of vulnerable patients, many needing time-sensitive treatments, needing to be rescheduled as quickly as possible. The infusion center had to rapidly plan to accommodate this surge as soon as the facility opened again. 

To take on the additional patient load without overstraining resources, Texas Oncology-Presbyterian Cancer Center Dallas needed to maintain appointment schedules that were level-loaded, to make the best use of available chairs and nurses, and flexible, to accommodate add-ons at a range of times. The infusion center deployed LeanTaaS’ AI-based iQueue for Infusion Centers’ predictive and prescriptive analytics to preserve adaptable, level schedules and incorporate the patients’ appointments in the coming days. iQueue provided adaptive templates that synced appointment loads with available nurses, and future-looking visibility that allowed infusion center team members to adjust appointment times to make room for likely add-ons. 

In this presentation, Texas Oncology-Presbyterian Cancer Center Dallas leaders discuss how their center used iQueue to level-load days and efficiently and safely reschedule patients after the closure, absorbing a 25% volume increase compared to the week prior and maintaining appropriate nurse-patient ratios.

Viewers of this webinar will be able to: 

  • Understand how the use of AI and advanced analytics creates a better spread of infusion appointments and greater ability to reschedule patients in advance 
  • Explain why having level-loaded infusion schedules is key to maintaining safe nurse-patient ratios even with additional patient volume  
  • Identify the solutions needed to maintain balanced workflows for infusion nurses while accommodating additional patient volumes

Results

25%Increase scheduled volume one week after the storm compared to one week before
11%+Increase in average number of add-ons compared to 30 days prior to the closure
6%Increase in patient volume compared to previous year
It’s probably given me back 2-3 hours of my day that I don’t have to be in scheduling looking ahead, counting patients, and checking out time lengths of treatments.
Lauren Matthews, BSN, RN, OCN
Infusion Nurse Supervisor, Texas Oncology

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