November 2008

N E W S   R E L E A S E

Shorter Patient Wait Times

Springfield, OR.  The McKenzie-Willamette Medical Center Emergency Department has recently implemented a Rapid Medical Evaluation program, so patients can be seen faster than ever. Along with the addition of space and beds, this streamlined process has dramatically decreased patient wait times to as little as 23 minutes, well below the national average of nearly one hour.*  This is the essence of McKenzie-Willamette: our ongoing commitment to the needs of our patients in providing responsive and efficient patient-centered care. “Our success is based upon dedicated physician and nurse leaders collaborating with engaged and committed hospital administrators to create a high-performance Emergency Department,” says Dr. Desmond Crooks, emergency physician with Cascade Medical Associates. “The results have culminated in shorter wait times, higher quality care, and a more positive patient experience.” 

Background

More than a year of development and training by physicians and the hospital’s Emergency medical staff has gone into the implementation of the Rapid Medical Evaluation program. To further improve ED patient quality care, we began using ProMed in November 2008, an electronic Emergency Department medical record system designed to expedite patient tracking and medical record access. Using a touch screen, doctors and nurses can quickly record initial patient evaluation, e.g., vital signs, medical history, ongoing test results and treatments. The result is what was once a 20-page document, that had to be physically transported between doctors and nurses, is now available to all care providers from any ED computer terminal. ProMed will provide near-instant access to vital information, allowing both physicians and ancillary medical personnel to stay tightly integrated, further enhancing the continuity of patient care.

*August 2008 CDC Patient Waiting Report.

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