Implementation and Resource Management of the Interdisciplinary Plan
The interdisciplinary plan will be implemented in stages following the PDSA cycle. Initially, a pilot program will be conducted in one unit to allow for close monitoring and rapid iteration before expanding to other hospital areas. During the ‘Do’ phase, the interdisciplinary team will implement the proposed discharge procedures. In contrast, the ‘Study’ phase will critically analyze the outcomes to identify areas needing adjustment. Finally, in the ‘Act’ phase, the hospital will scale up the successful strategies hospital-wide (Williams et al., 2023).
To manage resources effectively throughout this implementation, City General Hospital will assign a leader to the interdisciplinary team responsible for overseeing and improving the discharge process. This leader will work closely with the financial department to ensure that the resources allocated to the project are used efficiently, focusing on achieving the best possible patient outcomes and staff satisfaction. Technology will facilitate communication and coordination between team members and patients. Regular assessments of the new procedures’ cost-effectiveness and return on investment will be conducted to maintain the hospital’s financial health.
The inefficiencies in the patient discharge process at City General Hospital could lead to various adverse consequences. Delayed discharges could lead to prolonged hospital stays, increasing the risk of hospital-acquired infections and reducing bed availability, affecting new admissions and emergency care. Increased workloads due to delayed discharges could demoralize the staff, leading to higher turnover rates. Patients may become dissatisfied with the service, resulting in negative public perceptions and decreased hospital ratings, affecting funding and revenue. Moreover, the discharge processes are not optimized. In that case, the hospital may experience higher readmission rates, often associated with financial penalties from healthcare regulators, further straining the hospital’s budget and resources.
The evidence-based interdisciplinary plan devised to address the inefficiency in the patient discharge process at City General Hospital is anchored in collaborative care models that have been shown to improve outcomes and streamline hospital operations. Research published in the Journal of Healthcare Management suggests that multidisciplinary teamwork, particularly when led by a nurse coordinator, significantly reduces discharge times and enhances patient satisfaction. This plan will involve an interdisciplinary team of physicians, nurses, social workers, and administrative staff. Each member will have clearly defined roles and responsibilities, with the baccalaureate-prepared nurse acting as the discharge coordinator.
The team will utilize the Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycle as a framework for continuous improvement, aligning with evidence-based practices highlighted in the American Journal of Nursing, which endorses the PDSA cycle for its effectiveness in implementing change in healthcare settings (Williams et al., 2023). To incorporate evidence-based practice, the team will regularly review current literature and guidelines from authoritative bodies, such as the Institute for Healthcare Improvement, to inform their interventions. For instance, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality recommends that implementing checklists and standardized communication protocols ensures all discharge criteria are met and information is accurately conveyed to patients and caregivers (Burden et al., 2023). Criteria for evaluating the project’s success will be based on evidence-based benchmarks, such as reduced average discharge times, lower readmission rates within 30 days, and improved patient satisfaction scores, as reported in quality improvement studies within the healthcare field. These metrics will be measured against baseline data collected before the plan’s implementation to quantify the degree of improvement achieved.
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