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Decreasing the number of patients who choose to leave the emergency department without being seen is crucial for all hospitals, as it directly impacts patient care, hospital efficiency and community trust.
That is why Adventist HealthCare Fort Washington Medical Center is actively working to provide faster, high quality care by implementing a vertical care unit, or VCU.
Instead of the traditional approach using only beds, a VCU allows for medical care to be administered to patients who have less severe conditions and are able to stay vertical and sit in chairs.
“It’s a section of our emergency department where instead of having stretchers or beds, we have comfortable chairs,” explained Brittany Keys, the director of the emergency department at Fort Washington Medical Center.
After patients are seen and treated in the VCU, they are moved to a “results pending area,鈥� where they wait for the results of tests to come back.
The goal of the VCU is to have patients evaluated by a doctor and waiting for their results within 30 minutes or less, maximizing existing space and getting patients home faster.
“Most of the time in the emergency department, you are waiting for results from the lab or from radiology,” Keys said. “That takes up the majority of a patient’s time, so if we’re able to put them in a separate area while they’re waiting, then we can get other patients seen and treated.”
The VCU can accommodate patients with a range of medical conditions, from ankle sprains to abdominal pain and more.
鈥淚t keeps the appropriate resources focused on where they need to be, and patients are able to move through the department in a more timely manner,鈥� said Dr. Jeffrey Stone, Adventist HealthCare鈥檚 assistant director for emergency medicine.
Putting the patients first
Adventist HealthCare Fort Washington Medical Center has gone through a remarkable transformation as it continues working to reduce health care disparities in southern Prince George鈥檚 County, offering residents medical care close to home so they don鈥檛 have to travel to other Maryland counties, Virginia or D.C.
The hospital is facing the same challenges as many others across the country: how to increase capacity to meet the area鈥檚 rapidly growing healthcare needs. Before adding its VCU, the hospital saw longer wait times.
By fast-tracking patients and decreasing the possibility of medical conditions getting worse, the hospital can ensure that more patients receive timely and appropriate care, ultimately improving clinical outcomes.
“Within the first month of opening the VCU, we successfully decreased wait times and increased overall satisfaction by administering care to more patients,” said Keys. ” Our model of excellence has always been and will continue to be a patient-centered approach that puts their needs at the forefront.鈥�
It helps the hospital strengthen its reputation in the community and encourages people to seek care when they need it.
鈥淥ur goal and our mission is to care for patients, so if patients are not being seen in a timely manner, we鈥檙e not doing our job,鈥� said Stone.
A 鈥榮ignificant decrease鈥�
Since the VCU was added, the hospital has increased access to healthcare and reduced wait times, reducing the number of patients who choose to leave without being seen.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a significant decrease,鈥� said Stone.
“Patient satisfaction scores have been going up too, which means we’re doing what we set out to do,鈥� said Stone. 鈥淧eople who come to Adventist HealthCare Fort Washington Medical Center with whatever emergency they may be having can be confident that they will be seen by a provider and cared for.鈥�
Long wait times in the emergency department can lead to frustration for both the patients and staff, creating a high-pressure environment that diminishes morale.
That鈥檚 where the VCU comes in – staff morale naturally improves when they can work in a more structured and manageable environment.
It鈥檚 a classic example of how a rising tide lifts all boats.
鈥淚t鈥檚 self-fulfilling in a way, because it leads to more success with everyone more engaged and excited about doing what we’re supposed to be doing,鈥� said Stone.聽 鈥淓veryone’s very optimistic and encouraged by the results.鈥�
