NTMC Emergency Department Recognized

The Emergency Department at North Texas Medical Center recently received the GEM (Going the Extra Mile) Award for innovative changes designed to improve the efficiency and expediency of care in the Emergency Department.

The initiative, called the Ninety to Nothing Program, started with a task force of employees from the Emergency Department and other departments within the hospital who had a desire to change processes and improve patient satisfaction.

In April of this year, the Emergency Department implemented the new initiative by instituting the process of taking patients directly to a room from triage if there was space available. This reduced patient anxiety and provided a more comfortable waiting environment for patients, while speeding access to care. New communication tools were instituted to improve communication between the ED clerks and the nursing staff. The process for admitting patients was streamlined to reduce the wait time for patients transferring to a hospital room once the decision had been made for admission.

Other changes included a more efficient registration to the Emergency Department with bedside discharge. In addition, a new discharge information program was purchased to improve post-hospital care instructions to patients.

Physical changes included the strategic placement of a window to improve visibility of the ED clerk to the reception desk. Glass doors fronts have enclosed previously curtained rooms to improve privacy for patients in those areas.

Since implementation of these changes, patient satisfaction scores in the emergency department have increased dramatically. The processes have been so successful, NTMC has been asked to present at a regional Emergency Medicine Conference in Las Vegas in April.

Recognition of departmental efforts continued recently with the presentation of a special award to Emergency Department Director Audi Hayes, RN. On December 8, Hayes was recognized for her efforts in instituting the Ninety to Nothing initiative and extraordinary management/motivation of her staff, by being named the 2007 Director of the Year at NTMC. The presentation was made during the NTMC Employee Christmas Party at the VFW Hall in Gainesville. The award was the first of its type for the facility.

Hayes is quick to note that the Ninety to Nothing Program is the result of many individuals working together– not only the Emergency Department staff, but other department representatives who worked with the ED to streamline processes. Those departments include Patient Registration, Laboratory, Medical Imaging and Cardiopulmonary.

“It has truly been a team effort,” Hayes said.