It gives an immediate response to patients with a medical condition that threatens their life, or reuires urgent medical attention. It is included in the clinical processes.
High level description #
Subprocesses #
Triage #
Is the initial step in the emergency care process, where the severity of a patient’s condition is assessed to prioritize treatment based on urgency. Patients are categorized into levels ranging from Level 1 (requiring immediate life-saving intervention) to Level 5 (non-urgent). This system ensures that those in the most critical condition receive immediate attention. Triage nurses may also initiate diagnostic testing to expedite treatment.
Activities and estimated duration #
Patient Reception in Emergency Department
Medical or nursing staff receives patients in the emergency department. Approximately 5-10 minutes per patient.
Severity Assessment
Severity of the patient’s condition is evaluated to determine appropriate treatment. Approximately 5 minutes.
Priority Treatment
Patients with severe conditions receive priority treatment. The estimated time depends on the urgency of the case and required treatment. Can vary from minutes to hours.
Non-Priority Treatment
Patients with less severe conditions receive non-priority treatment. Can vary from minutes to hours.
Registration #
It collects patient information and consent for treatment. This step is crucial for creating a patient record and ordering necessary diagnostic tests. For patients taken directly to a treatment room, bedside registration may be conducted.
Activities and estimated duration #
Patient Registration
Collects patient information and obtains consent for treatment. Approximately 5-10 minutes per patient.
Decision
Determines whether bedside registration is needed based on certain conditions. Decision is made instantly.
Bedside Registration
Conducts bedside registration for patients taken directly to a treatment room. Approximately 5-15 minutes per patient.
Treatment #
Patients receive treatment from attending physicians or mid-level practitioners based on their condition. This may include starting an intravenous (IV) line, taking blood or urine samples, and conducting imaging tests or other diagnostics. The goal is to assess the patient’s condition accurately to determine the appropriate course of action.
Activities and estimated duration #
Assess Patient’s Condition
Evaluates the patient’s condition to determine the appropriate treatment. Approximately 10-20 minutes per patient.
Provide Treatment
Administers treatment based on the patient’s condition. Varies depending on the type of treatment required and patient response. Can range from minutes to hours.
Reevaluation #
After initial treatment and receipt of test results, patients are reevaluated to assess their response to treatment and determine the next steps. This may involve additional consultations, further testing, or decisions regarding admission to the hospital or discharge.
Activities and estimated duration #
Initial Treatment and Test Result Reception
After the initial treatment and reception of test results, patients are reevaluated to assess their response and determine the next steps, which may involve additional consultations, tests, or decisions regarding hospital admission or discharge. Approximately 30 minutes per patient.
Reevaluation
Patients are reevaluated to assess their response to initial treatment and further testing or consultations are considered. Approximately 15 minutes per patient.
Additional Decisions
Determines whether additional consultations or tests are required based on the reevaluation. Instantaneous.
Discharge #
Upon stabilizing and treating the patient, the discharge process involves providing the patient with home-care instructions, prescriptions, and recommendations for follow-up care. Ensuring that patients understand their care instructions is crucial for their recovery and health after leaving the Emergency Room.
Activities and estimated duration #
Stabilizing and treating the patient
Patients are stabilized and treated as necessary before discharge. Approximately 1-2 hours per patient, depending on the severity of their condition.
Provide Home-Care Instructions
Patients receive instructions for home care to support their recovery after discharge. Approximately 15-30 minutes per patient.
Provide Prescriptions
Patients are provided with prescriptions for medications required post-discharge. Approximately 15-30 minutes per patient.
Provide Follow-up Recommendations
Patients receive recommendations for follow-up care or specialist appointments. Approximately 15-30 minutes per patient.
Attributes #
Staff #
Medical and Nursing Staff: Qualified medical personnel including doctors, nurses, and emergency medical technicians (EMTs) are required.
Administrative Staff: Receptionists and administrative personnel are needed to manage patient registration, medical records, and coordinate the logistics of the process.
Specialists: Depending on the nature of the emergency, specialists such as surgeons, cardiologists, orthopedic surgeons, among others, may be required
Material #
Medical Equipment: This includes defibrillators, cardiac monitors, ventilators, X-ray machines, among others, for diagnosing and treating patients.
Medical Supplies: Gauze, bandages, syringes, catheters, medications, intravenous solutions, among others, for providing medical care.
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE): Gowns, gloves, masks, face shields, to ensure the safety of medical and nursing staff.
Method #
Triage: Assessment method to determine the severity of patients’ medical conditions and prioritize care based on urgency.
Treatment Protocols: Established procedures and guidelines for treating a wide range of emergency medical conditions, from cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) to managing traumatic injuries.
Recording and Documentation: Process for accurately recording information about the patient’s condition, the treatment provided, and necessary follow-up.
Machine #
Diagnostic Equipment: Computed tomography (CT) scanners, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) machines, ultrasound equipment, for diagnosing injuries and illnesses.
Life Support Equipment: Defibrillators, mechanical ventilators, infusion pumps, to maintain vital functions in critically ill patients.
Hospital Information Systems: Software and computer systems for managing patient flow, electronic medical records, and internal communications.
Usual Loops #
Downloads #
BPMN graphs #
Download the collapsed BPMN diagram.
Download the expanded BPMN diagram.
Use Case #
In this use case, there is shortage of medical staff (Hospital 1), along with no specific resources (CT scanning and radigraph in Hospital 1 and Hospital 2) causing several problems on the lenght of different activities.
The recommended software is the Inverbis Healthcare platform.
Scientific sources #
Delias, P., Manolitzas, P., Grigoroudis, E., & Matsatsinis, N. (2014). Applying process mining to the emergency department. In Encyclopedia of business analytics and optimization (pp. 168-178). IGI Global.
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This is indeed a fascinating piece of information, particularly in relation to the concept of triage. The insights provided here are truly enlightening and offer a fresh perspective on the topic.
I totally agree!!