electronic ink-university health system-case study
DESCRIPTION
How do you prepare for a life-saving event or document an emergency response? Electronic Ink’s design researchers were invited to observe one hospital's Rapid Response Team (RRT) to find out. The RRT is a team of clinicians called in to reverse the declining condition of a patient. Just as the hospital hoped, our researchers’ work brought insights and innovations to this life-saving process.TRANSCRIPT
In the US:One South Broad Street, 19th Floor | Philadelphia, PA 19107Tel: (+01) 215.922.3800 | [email protected]
In the UK: 1st Floor | 34 Threadneedle Street | London, EC2R 8AYTel: +44 (0) 845 519 3214 | [email protected]
University Health SystemDESIGN INSIGHTS DRIVE INNOVATION
The hospital wasn’t ready to digitize the eight separate forms required to record data for different hospital entities. Our researchers identified an immediate opportunity to improve paper-based forms by streamlining information and removing redundant questions. Eight forms were aggregated to one, which sped documentation significantly.
Electronic Ink design researchers observed the RRT in action, documenting equipment use, communication, and workflow in painstaking detail. From these observations, they recommended ways to improve quality of care and efficiency.
Seeing the Event
Solution: A Vanishing ActHow do you prepare for a life-saving event or document an emergency response? Electronic Ink’s design researchers were invited to observe one hospital's Rapid Response Team (RRT) to find out. The RRT is a team of clinicians called in to reverse the declining condition of a patient. Just as the hospital hoped, our researchers’ work brought insights and innovations to this life-saving process.
Summary Solution: Extracting Information from Data
Recognition:Difficulty reviewing patient meds
Planning: Insufficient meds and supplies
Communication:Too many clinicians, causing confusion
Communication:Stress is dialog
between MD and RN
While looking for RRT trends within patient transfer data, an unexpected discovery was made. The history of patient transfers was a spreadsheet inventory of patients being relocated from one location to another. A designer converted this data table to an alphabetical list of hospital locations with each row of the spreadsheet represented as a line connecting the patient’s from and to movement. The diagram revealed surprising information about patterns of patient movement and flow, raising questions of cost, hospital layout, infection rates and other factors possibly related to traffic patterns.
1 form
Solution: Go-to-Market Model
BEFORE AFTER
2:108
65% of staff resources that could serve other patients were re-allocated.
30% decrease in event time
87.5% less time spent on
data entry by medical staff
1:343
Solution: A Card TrickIn a teaching hospital, an RRT event is a learning opportunity for keen interns and residents. Unfortunately, too many clinicians mean inefficiency for everyone. Five blue cards handed out by the RRT coordinator allowed clinicians to understand their assigned role. Anyone without a card left the room.
A model mobile interface demonstrated the specific information technology needs of the RRT. This model allowed the hospital to show software companies exactly what they needed in a tool. They were able to purchase the software they needed without wasting money on unnecessary features and functions.
8 forms