Operational Efficiency and Productivity Improvement Initiatives in a Large Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory. 2018

Grant W Reed, and Scott Hantz, and Rebecca Cunningham, and Amar Krishnaswamy, and Stephen G Ellis, and Umesh Khot, and Joe Rak, and Samir R Kapadia
Heart and Vascular Institute, Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio.

This study sought to report outcomes from an efficiency improvement project in a large cardiac cath lab. Operational inefficiencies are common in the cath lab, yet solutions are challenging. A detailed report describing and providing solutions for these inefficiencies may be valuable in guiding improvements in productivity. In this observational study, the authors report metrics of efficiency before and after a cath lab quality improvement program in June 2014. Main outcomes included lab room start times, room turnaround times, laboratory use, and employee satisfaction. Time series analysis was used to assess trend over time. Chi-square testing and analysis of variance were used to assess change before and after the initiative. The principal changes included implementation of a pyramidal nursing schedule, increased use of an electronic scheduling system, and increased utilization of a preparation and recovery area. Comparing before with after the program, start times improved an average of 17 min, and on-time starts improved from 61.8% to 81.7% (p = 0.0024). Turnaround times improved from 20.5 min to 16.4 min (trend p < 0.0001), and the proportion of days at full lab utilization improved from 7.7% to 77.3% (p < 0.00001). There were no increases in overtime, night, or weekend cases. There was a reduction in full time employees from 36.1 in 2013 to 29.6 in 2016, with an improvement in employee satisfaction. A systematic approach to reducing inefficiencies can improve cath lab start times, turnaround times, and overall productivity. This knowledge may be helpful in assisting other cath labs in similar efficiency improvement initiatives.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D007588 Job Satisfaction Personal satisfaction relative to the work situation. Work Satisfaction,Job Satisfactions,Satisfaction, Job,Satisfaction, Work,Satisfactions, Job,Satisfactions, Work,Work Satisfactions
D007755 Laboratories, Hospital Hospital facilities equipped to carry out investigative procedures. Hospital Laboratories,Hospital Laboratory,Laboratory, Hospital
D009741 Nursing Staff, Hospital Personnel who provide nursing service to patients in a hospital. Hospital Nursing Staff,Hospital Nursing Staffs,Nursing Staffs, Hospital,Staff, Hospital Nursing,Staffs, Hospital Nursing
D010561 Personnel Staffing and Scheduling The selection, appointing, and scheduling of personnel. Staffing and Scheduling,Personnel Staffing,Work Schedule,Schedule, Work,Scheduling and Staffing,Staffing, Personnel,Work Schedules
D010562 Personnel Staffing and Scheduling Information Systems Computer-based systems for use in personnel management in a facility, e.g., distribution of caregivers with relation to patient needs. Personnel Staffing Information Systems,Personnel Staffing Scheduling Information Systems
D006328 Cardiac Catheterization Procedures in which placement of CARDIAC CATHETERS is performed for therapeutic or diagnostic procedures. Catheterization, Cardiac,Catheterization, Heart,Heart Catheterization,Cardiac Catheterizations,Catheterizations, Cardiac,Catheterizations, Heart,Heart Catheterizations
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000704 Analysis of Variance A statistical technique that isolates and assesses the contributions of categorical independent variables to variation in the mean of a continuous dependent variable. ANOVA,Analysis, Variance,Variance Analysis,Analyses, Variance,Variance Analyses
D001071 Appointments and Schedules The different methods of scheduling patient visits, appointment systems, individual or group appointments, waiting times, waiting lists for hospitals, walk-in clinics, etc. Patient Appointments,Patient Schedules,Schedules, Patient,Appointments,Schedules,Appointment,Appointment, Patient,Appointments, Patient,Patient Appointment,Patient Schedule,Schedule,Schedule, Patient,Schedules and Appointments
D001291 Attitude of Health Personnel Attitudes of personnel toward their patients, other professionals, toward the medical care system, etc. Staff Attitude,Attitude, Staff,Attitudes, Staff,Health Personnel Attitude,Health Personnel Attitudes,Staff Attitudes

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