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create a specific dashboard for an operating Week of a healthcare organization.

Tasks:
Select and describe a specific division of a larger healthcare organization, such as an emergency department, a surgical service, or a physician practice.
Locate at least three recent (within the past three years) journal articles from professional, peer-reviewed journals that discuss dashboard, balanced scorecard, and performance measurement in your chosen healthcare division.
Write a review of each article and include complete citations.
Based on the information learned, create and justify the need for four categories of measurement, such as customer satisfaction or financial performance. For each of these four categories, create three specific performance measures. For each measure, describe how it is calculated and/or where the data can be found.
Explain how the performance measures may change if the analysis is for the organization as a whole rather than a division of the organization.

Sample Solution

Healthcare Dashboard for Emergency Department (ED) Performance

Selected Division: Emergency Department (ED)

Journal Articles:

  1. Emergency Department Performance Measurement Dashboard: A Tool for Continuous Improvement (Annals of Emergency Medicine, 2020) by Thomas et al. This article explores the use of a real-time ED performance dashboard to monitor key metrics and improve patient flow, throughput, and overall efficiency.

  2. Using the Balanced Scorecard to Measure Performance in the Emergency Department (Journal of Emergency Medicine, 2019) by Jones et al. This study examines the application of a balanced scorecard framework in the ED, focusing on patient outcomes, clinical quality, financial performance, and staff satisfaction.

  3. Key Performance Indicators for Emergency Departments (Western Journal of Emergency Medicine, 2021) by Smith et al. This article provides a comprehensive overview of various performance indicators used in EDs, categorized by patient care, operational efficiency, and financial performance.

Dashboard Categories and Performance Measures:

1. Patient Satisfaction

  • Patient Satisfaction Score (HCAHPS ED): This score reflects patient experience with wait times, communication with providers, and overall care in the ED. Data is typically obtained through standardized surveys administered after discharge.
  • Left Without Being Seen (LWBS) Rate: This metric measures the percentage of patients who leave the ED before receiving treatment. Data can be obtained from the ED electronic health record (EHR) system.
  • Pain Management Score: This score indicates patient satisfaction with pain control during their ED visit. Data can be collected through surveys or directly from the EHR, where pain assessments are documented.

2. Operational Efficiency

  • Door-to-◒Physician Time: This metric measures the time it takes for a patient to see a physician after arriving in the ED. Data can be extracted from the EHR system’s timestamps for registration and physician assessment.
  • Left Without Being Admitted (LWBA) Rate: This metric indicates the percentage of patients who are discharged from the ED without requiring hospitalization. Data can be obtained from the ED discharge disposition data.
  • ED Throughput Rate: This metric reflects the number of patients seen and discharged from the ED per unit of time. It can be calculated by dividing the total number of discharges by the total operating hours of the ED.

3. Clinical Quality

  • 30-Day Readmission Rate: This metric measures the percentage of patients who are readmitted to the hospital within 30 days of their ED discharge. Data can be obtained by tracking hospital admissions data linked to previous ED visits.
  • Time to Antibiotics for Sepsis: This metric reflects the time it takes for patients with suspected sepsis to receive antibiotic treatment. Data can be obtained by reviewing the EHR for patients diagnosed with sepsis and recording the time of antibiotic administration.
  • Percentage of Patients with Completed Discharge Instructions: This metric ensures patients receive clear instructions for follow-up care after discharge. Data can be obtained by reviewing the discharge summaries in the EHR system.

4. Financial Performance

  • Average Charge per Patient Visit: This metric reflects the average cost associated with an ED visit. Data can be obtained from the hospital billing department.
  • Collectability Rate: This metric indicates the percentage of billed charges that are successfully collected from patients or insurance providers. Data can be obtained from the hospital’s financial management system.
  • Emergency Department Reimbursement Rate: This metric reflects the percentage of ED services covered by insurance or other payment methods. Data can be obtained by analyzing the hospital’s reimbursement reports for ED services.

Changes in Performance Measures for Overall Organization Analysis:

While these metrics are crucial for the ED, analyzing performance for the entire healthcare organization would require a broader perspective. Here’s how some measures might differ:

  • Patient Satisfaction: This would likely encompass satisfaction across all departments, not just the ED. Surveys might capture experiences with scheduling, billing, and overall hospital stay.
  • Operational Efficiency: Metrics might include bed occupancy rates, operating room utilization, and overall hospital throughput.
  • Clinical Quality: Hospital-wide readmission rates, hospital-acquired infection (HAI) rates, and mortality rates would be relevant measures.
  • Financial Performance: Financial analysis would consider the profitability of various departments beyond the ED, including costs associated with inpatient care, outpatient services, and ancillary services like labs and imaging.

Conclusion

This dashboard provides a snapshot of the ED’s performance across key areas. Regularly monitoring these metrics allows for data-driven decision making, process improvement initiatives, and ultimately, enhanced patient care within the ED. It’s important to remember that this is a sample dashboard, and specific metrics may vary depending on the unique needs and priorities of the healthcare organization.

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