Biomaterial Database

Critical paths: maximizing patient care coordination. 1995

P L Spath

1. With today's emphasis on horizontal and vertical integration of patient care services and the new initiatives prompted by these challenges, OR nurses are considering new methods for managing the perioperative period. One such method is the critical path. 2. A critical path defines an optimal sequencing and timing of interventions by physicians, nurses, and other staff members for a particular diagnosis or procedure, designed to better use resources, maximize quality of care, and minimize delays. 3. Hospitals implementing path-based patient care have reported cost reductions and improved team-work. Critical paths have been shown to reduce patient care costs by improving hospital efficiency, not merely by reducing physician practice variations.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D009871	Operating Room Nursing	The functions of the professional nurse in the operating room.	Nursing, Operating Room
D010347	Patient Care Planning	Usually a written medical and nursing care program designed for a particular patient.	Nursing Care Plans,Goals of Care,Plans, Nursing Care,Care Goal,Care Goals,Care Plan, Nursing,Care Planning, Patient,Care Plans, Nursing,Nursing Care Plan,Plan, Nursing Care,Planning, Patient Care
D003266	Continuity of Patient Care	Health care provided on a continuing basis from the initial contact, following the patient through all phases of medical care.	Continuum of Care,Continuity of Care,Care Continuity,Care Continuity, Patient,Care Continuum,Patient Care Continuity
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D017749	Total Quality Management	The application of industrial management practice to systematically maintain and improve organization-wide performance. Effectiveness and success are determined and assessed by quantitative quality measures.	Continuous Quality Management,Lean Six Sigma,Sigma Metrics,Six Sigma,Lean Six Sigmas,Management, Continuous Quality,Management, Total Quality,Metric, Sigma,Metrics, Sigma,Sigma Metric,Sigma, Six,Sigmas, Six,Six Sigma, Lean,Six Sigmas,Six Sigmas, Lean