Zero Waiting Time at the Emergency Room

Abstract

Long waiting times at the Emergency Rooms are a problem that affects every hospital in Puerto Rico. The main causes of this problem are the lack of patients understanding the purpose of the ER and the inefficient use of the personnel throughout the process or workflow of the Emergency Department. The processes in three Emergency Rooms were studied in an effort to reduce waiting times. It was found that by creating a shorter process of categorization, integrating the end of a process with the beginning of the next one and the ability to inform the patient of the process and it purpose, a zero waiting time for patients that arrive at the Emergency Room is possible. Key Terms ⎯ Emergency Room, Electronic Medical Record, Healthcare, Patient Flow.