Emergency Department Discharge Center Program Evaluation from a "Learning Organization" lens: Methods, Lessons Learned, and Future Directions
Razack, B. S.; Mahabir, N. B.; Iyeke, L.; Jordan, L.; Hope, R.; Diaz, E.; Barcia, L.; Fuzailov, D.; Willis, H.; Gizzi-Murphy, M.; Davis, F.; Berman, A.; Richman, M.; Kwon, N.
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Our EDs Discharge Center (EDDC) facilitates appointments and paper-based social determinants of health (SDoH) screening. No criteria guide EDDC utilization. The EDs provider-administrator-run, patient-satisfying follow-up call program contacts only [~]25% of discharges. We describe Learning Organization-principle-guided evaluation of EDDC efficiency, aiming to create EDDC time to expand the follow-up program. We reviewed appointment-making, SDoH-screening, and follow-up program data. We surveyed patients to determine whether adopting SHOUT tool criteria (no home, no primary care physician, or insurance) might yield more-judicious EDDC utilization. EDDC staffs 20 minutes/patient yielded fewer ED returns and admissions. Most patients improved post-discharge and made appointments themselves; 6% met SHOUT criteria for EDDC assistance; 4.5% would benefit from SDoH screening. Adopting SHOUT criteria would create significant time for EDDC-staffed follow-up program expansion. QR-code-accessible SDoH surveys would screen thousands more patients, minimizing EDDC staff involvement, saving 95% of the effort while retaining 100% of the benefit.
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