It’s no secret to anyone in the healthcare industry that emergency department waiting times in the U.S. remain long. Reasons range from the obvious strain caused by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic to the severe personnel shortage, especially within the nursing workforce across the nation. High patient volume, inefficient triage processes, and suboptimal resource utilization could also all contribute to lengthy wait times.
Of course, all hospitals and health systems are different and have various contributing factors that determine how long a patient waits in the ED. Nevertheless, all healthcare facility EDs could prosper from the benefits a Primex OneVue Sync™ Synchronized Clock solution provides. Specifically in the areas of:
- Strengthening Workflow Efficiency
When a hospital or healthcare facility has Primex OneVue Sync clocks installed, all areas on their campus — including their ED — operate on the same, synchronous time. This unified time can eliminate time discrepancies between staff members, helping to better workflow and mutual understanding of care based on the time it was delivered.
With staff members more tuned into the time, patient flow could benefit. With a more fluid patient flow, ED waiting times could lessen — perhaps strengthening patient outcomes and boosting patient satisfaction. - Providing Useful Data
Countdown clocks and Code Blue Timers, essential during emergencies, are part of the Primex Digital Clock suite of products. At the press of a button, the digital display can begin counting up or down, and time data is sent to the cloud- and web-based OneVue® Software platform.
Such data can be helpful in ED audits, which should happen regularly to investigate the working order of your facility’s ED. Data from OneVue can inform leaders how long treatments or time-to-care metrics are taking if tracked by a Primex Elapsed Timer and use those numbers to identify where improvements need to happen. Plus, staff can access data on any device with a web browser for added convenience. - Expanding Communication
From triage to discharge, effective communication between staff members can be the difference between a long or short ED wait. To help facilitate strong communication within your facility’s ED, Primex OneVue Notify® InfoBoard displays can help. Within the OneVue Software platform, users can personalize messages that are easily visible on the LED InfoBoard. Whether it’s to update patients on waiting times, inform staff members of an event, or post personnel updates, the InfoBoard display can be an extra level of communication.
Plus, at the press of a button, the InfoBoard display can exhibit one of five preset messages to signify a critical event. Boost communication and your mass notification plan with OneVue Notify.
While sometimes it’s out of one’s control to shorten ED waiting times, staff actions and technology can combine to try and help alleviate them. Primex OneVue solutions can assist by offering synchronized clocks that help bolster workflows and provide an extra layer of communication. Contact Primex today to learn how to get your healthcare facility started with Primex solutions.