Improving Bed Management at Wright-Patterson Medical Center.

摘要

The purpose of this study was to analyze bed management at Wright-Patterson Medical Center. The research had three objectives: (1) Examine the admissions and dispositions process. (2) Determine the hospital staff's perspective on the problem. (3) Determine if the number of beds was adequate for demand. The research methodology consisted of interviews, a staff questionnaire, and a simulation study. The research found some aspects of the admissions and dispositions process that were easing bed management problems. However, poor communication between departments as well as with patients, and lack of clear lines of authority and responsibility over the bed management process made bed management more difficult. The hospital staff generally agreed there were bed management problems, citing lack of personnel, inability to determine Emergency and Aero Evac arrivals, and not enough beds as major contributors to the problem. The simulation showed the Medical Center had enough beds to meet 1988 demand levels, and scheduling based on a historical mean would not improve bed usage. Some of the recommendations were to improve communication, return authority and responsibility for beds to the Admissions and Dispositions office, and begin a long term scheduling solution. Theses. (rrh)