Interactive Assignment Board Application

General

The primary purpose of this application is to improve workflow efficiency, interdepartmental communication, time management, and decrease the delay in getting to a physical or occupational therapy treatment/ evaluation. It allows for real-time visualization of new patient rehab lists as well as those patients already on program that require follow up treatments. This, in turn, allows for improved organization of therapists schedules, improving productivity, communication, and potentially decreases patients’ hospital length of stay by reducing delays

It allows for real-time visualization of new patient rehab lists as well as those patients already on program that require follow up treatments. This, in turn, allows for improved organization of therapists schedules, improving productivity, communication, and potentially decreases patients’ hospital length of stay by reducing delays.

Current Process

Supervisors print out list of patients, and write them onto magnetic labels that are then placed onto the White Board. These names are placed under respective therapist’s names as they add them to their daily roster of patients that they will be seeing. Also, the supervisors can assign patients to therapists by placing the magnetic tag under a therapist’s name. If a PT/OT sees a patient that they would like to be followed by a PT assistant or OT assistant, the PT/OT will place the name under a list of “follow ups needed” and a PTA or OTA will assume those patients. In this case, a write up is needed for coverage of the patient. The Physical Therapists must visit the White Board room in order to get their assignments.

Proposed Process

The system enables automatic feed from the Eclipsys.
Supervisors may assign patients to PT’s electronically, using iPad’s, desktops, etc.
Physical Therapists connect to the system electronically, using smart phones. They maintain their assignments, view patient information, assume new patients, manage patient’s procedures schedules and assign patients to PT or OT assistants with associated write ups.
The system notifies users and enables intersystem communication

How will this application improve upon current issues?

a. Seniors/Supervisors will have the ability to control patient assignments using the main assignment board located in the PT office or from the supervisor’s office.

b. Both the main Assignment board and the tablets will have the application run in real-time and dynamically, thereby, essentially allowing the therapist to be located anywhere in the hospital and still be able to manage their schedules and patient lists without having to return to the office (time management). The therapists can monitor this information on their smart phones

c. Because therapists will be able to sign up for new patients and/or follow-up patients without physically having to be in the office, their productivity will increase as they will not have to spend time returning to office.

d. The application will have an integrated texting system which will allow for quick communication between therapists/aides/senior staff.

e. The application allows for any user to view any of the assignment boards within the inpatient department (IE: med/surg, CPT, burns, etc.) which would assist in getting patients seen by therapists that may be covering various services in a quicker and more efficient manner.

f. Therapists will be able to leave a quick synopsis of patients mobility status and any precautions for a covering therapist i. Currently, coverage notes are written on paper ii. Allow for smoother communication between therapists that are sharing the same patient (IE: part-time therapists, PT assistants, etc.)

Users:

For the purpose of this challenge, the prototype will service the Physical Therapy department. The users will include: a) Inpatient supervisors b) Inpatient senior physical therapists, physical therapists, and physical therapist assistants

Eventually, this application can roll out to the Occupational therapy staff as well as other similarly organized services within the hospital system (respiratory therapy, etc.)