Perceived vs. Actual Causes of Patient Discharge Delay: Results from an Exploratory Field Study

摘要

This paper presents results from an exploratory field study in a midsize regional teaching hospital in West Texas. The purpose of the field study was to apply healthcare systems engineering tools to baseline the current patient discharge process and identify root causes of discharge delays. This paper focuses on the systemic misunderstandings uncovered through the use of healthcare systems engineering tools: specifically the discrepancies between process stakeholders' perceptions of the causes of discharge delays and the most likely, actual underlying causes. Potential actions for addressing the root causes of discharge delays and other directions for future research are also identified.