In Good Health - Spring 2012 - Fairview - (Page 6)

Saving you time How Lakewood Hospital’s Emergency Department is reducing wait times In an emergency situation, no one wants to wait too long for care. Now, changes in the way Lakewood Hospital responds to emergency patients have resulted in more beds being immediately available for seriously ill patients. And faster treatments can be provided to those with more minor ailments. The new model, known as “split-flow,” is being adopted by most Cleveland Clinic hospitals. In the split-flow model, patients are seen shortly after arrival by a nurse who assesses and registers them. He or she then decides whether to direct the patient to an area reserved for serious emergency cases or to another area designated for patients with less serious conditions. Patients with problems such as a rash, an ankle sprain or a sore throat might remain in their street clothes and be moved to one of several treatment areas, such as intake, continuing care or the results waiting room. Once in the intake area, a physician or a physician’s assistant can see them quickly, often within minutes, to determine what tests or treatments to order. room is often empty since the implementation of the split-flow process.” Some patients will see a physician’s assistant instead of a physician, but their care is always reviewed by a physician before discharge, Dr. Levine says. And patients can always request to see a physician at any time. Patients who need more serious care are still cared for in a traditional manner, but may be moved into the split-flow area if their situation improves. david Levine, Md emergency Medicine LeARN About LAkeWood For more information about Lakewood Hospital, visit lakewoodhospital.org or call 216.521.4200. Why Split-Flow Works “Not all patients who come to the Emergency Department need to be given a bed,” explains David Levine, MD, the medical director of Lakewood Hospital’s Emergency Department. “By keeping some patients mobile instead of leaving them in one place, a provider can see them more quickly.” This new process has reduced Lakewood’s “door to doctor” time from 58 minutes to 27 minutes, and it often shaves two to three hours off of an ED visit. “If there is any waiting, it is usually at the end of their visit, when they are waiting for results to come back. They can do this in a comfortable area, and leave beds open for our most critical patients,” Dr. Levine says. “Our front waiting After triage, David Levine, MD, the ED medical director, and Annmarie Kovach, RN, CEN, ED nurse manager, examine a patient to determine the diagnosis and treatment. During the process, patients may remain in their regular clothes and may be moved to several treatment areas, depending on a patient’s needs. beNeFitS 6i iN Good HeALtH toyou In an emergency, call 9-1-1 and ask the EMS squad to transport you to Lakewood Hospital. If you’re driving on your own, the address is 14519 Detroit Ave., Lakewood, OH 44107. http://www.lakewoodhospital.org

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of In Good Health - Spring 2012 - Fairview

In Good Health - Spring 2012 - Fairview
Exciting news about In Good Health
Stopping cancer cold at Fairview Hospital
A grandmother’s strength
Six tips for talking better with your doctor
Canadian woman travels to Lutheran Hospital for ankle surgery

In Good Health - Spring 2012 - Fairview