Medical centers tackle delays, reduce wait times

Article Abstract:

Efficiency experts may help hospitals shorten delays. Shortening delays means delivering more efficient care, which can reduce costs and improve patient satisfaction. Efficiency experts helped one hospital to reduce operating room delays, another to reduce the time from emergency department arrival to hospital admission and average length of emergency room stay, and a third to reduce average wait times for both emergency and nonemergency patients. Of 27 institutions seeking expert guidance, 18 reduced wait times by half or nearly half, 8 reduced wait times by 10% to 30%, and one saw no change. The program cost $12,000.

Hospital utilization, Hospital stays

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The role of medical necessity and cost-effectiveness in making medical decisions

Article Abstract:

Patients, doctors, and third-party payers could possibly make more informed medical decisions if tradeoffs between cost-effectiveness and the urgency of treatment are clearly explained. Researchers have presented a statistical argument for how best to use cost-effectiveness and medical necessity in making medical decisions. Decision models should clearly outline the assumptions made in arriving at the options. Decisions can be made in light of these assumptions and what the possible tradeoffs might be. The relative importance of the tradeoffs would result in a range of options rather than a single set of options.

Decision-making, Models, Decision making, Medical care, Medical care needs assessment

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