KAWARTHA LAKES-Hospital officials compare their daily Bed Meetings to air traffic control.
Every morning representatives from each patient care area at the Ross Memorial Hospital gather for what they call a Bed Meeting. Just as air traffic controllers monitor incoming and outgoing air traffic while maintaining safety and efficiency officials say the team at the bed meeting tracks patients’ bed needs at the Ross, including how many are coming in, how many are being discharged, and what to do when those numbers don’t match up. “We understand how frustrating it can be for our patients and their families when their waits are long or when they’re being transferred to another bed in another unit, sometimes more than once,” said Anne Overhoff, Vice President Patient Care and Chief Nursing Officer. “Flowing patients safely through the Hospital and back home is a complex process, and one that patients and their families should pay close attention to.”
Ross Memorial Hospital has been operating over 100% capacity as illnesses such as Influenza A, Influenza B and Norovirus put a strain on the Emergency Department. “Ross Memorial Hospital continues to see a high number of patients coming though the Emergency Department. Volumes peaked on December 26th, when 137 people were seen in the Emergency Department.” says Kim Coulter, Coordinator of Employee & Community Relations.
Coulter says many of these patients need to be admitted to the hospital. On December 27th there were 22 admitted patients in the Emergency Department waiting for a bed to become available on an inpatient unit. Coulter told Kawartha 411,”To help manage these high patient volumes, Ross Memorial opened 12 surge beds with funding assistance from the Ministry of Health & Long Term Care. The Hospital is currently operating over 100% capacity.”
The discussions in the Bed Meetings are extensive and include things such as how many patients in the Emergency Department have been admitted and are awaiting a bed on an inpatient unit, how many patients require a bed in the Intensive Care Unit? Do they need to be ventilated and how many patients have conditions that are contagious and require them to be isolated?
They also consider how many beds are available for patients needing telemetry or negative air pressure, how many patients need to be brought back from other hospitals (i.e. in Toronto or Kingston) where they’ve been receiving specialized care and how many same day surgeries are scheduled?
The list continues with:
· How many women are in labour?
· How many patients in the Emergency Department are awaiting Mental Health crisis care?
· How many patients require palliative care?
· How quickly are we able to get patients off-loaded from ambulances so paramedics can get back to their work in the community?
· How many long term care facilities are in outbreak status and thus unable to take residents who have been discharged?
· How many patients have special security requirements (i.e. wandering patients)?
· How many extra, unfunded beds are open and do we have staff available to work extra shifts?
· Are there extra resources that could be provided through community supports that would make it possible to discharge patients safely back home?
On days when the bed needs are particularly acute, a second bed meeting is scheduled in the afternoon to address the needs pending on the night shift according to officials.
This information is summarized in a daily conference call that takes place with hospitals and health care organizations throughout the Central East LHIN (Local Health Integration Network) where organizations can ask for help or offer it, depending on the day.
Overhoff says patients and their families can play a role in keeping beds available for those who really need them. “Any preparations they can make in patients’ homes to help with that transition after discharge is important. They need to think about coming home – wherever home may be – as soon as they are hospitalized.”
Overhoff also asks that people whose illnesses or injuries are minor consider alternatives to the Emergency Department. “We want you to receive the timeliest and most appropriate level of care for your problem. Your family doctor or health clinic might be an option. People can also call Telehealth Ontario toll-free night and day if they’re not sure if their situation requires a trip to the Emergency Department. If it does, please remember to be patient. How long you will wait depends on how sick you are and how many other people are being treated at the time of your visit. If we are treating many critically ill or injured patients, you may have to wait longer.”
Telehealth Ontario is available at no cost 24 hours a day at 1-866-797-0000.
 photo credit: Alex E. Proimos The Stethoscope via photopin (license)
