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MODERN FACILITIES SERVICES PARTNERS WITH BRONX-LEBANON HOSPITAL CENTER
Innovative Bed Expediter Program Ensures Patient Flow Management for
Optimum Healthcare, Safety & Cost Control at Busy Hospital
Bronx, NY - January, 2008 -- Modern Facilities Services, a full-service, family-owned facilities management company, implemented a unique Patient Flow Management model at Bronx-Lebanon Hospital Center that is getting rave reviews from hospital employees and patients alike.
The pilot program, originally conceived by Hiram Torres, director of operations at the busy Bronx healthcare facility, is saving time and money. "It's a real return on investment," said Torres.
Central to patient flow management is a full-time bed expediter who coordinates all emergency department services and makes sure that the patient moves quickly and efficiently through the emergency cycle. This important member of the healthcare team makes sure that the patient is calm and comfortable as they are waiting, being transported and even through the admittance or discharge process.
"In an area that is overcrowded, the expediter is invaluable," Torres said. "Before we put in a bed expeditor, we had a patient flow meeting where we discussed overcrowding. We realized it was taking two hours to move a patient from the Emergency Department (ED) to a floor. Communication gaps were all over the place. Nurses in the ED couldn't get nurses on the floor on the phone to find out information. Patients were waiting for transport."
And, when there isn't bed turnover, the hospital is not serving its patients as they deserve to be treated and is also needlessly wasting time and money.
Torres developed his "bed expediter" program for his facility, contacted Sergio Benvenuto, owner of Modern Facilities Services, and the plan was shortly implemented.
"We placed a bed expediter in Bronx-Lebanon's Emergency Room 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The new hire coordinates a lot of job functions to expedite the patient's stay," Benvenuto explained. "Everything from how and when a patient gets assigned to an ED bed to when they are admitted or discharged is in the hands of the capable coordinator."
Benvenuto, who co-owns the family run business with his wife, jumped at the opportunity to implement Torres' innovative idea. "We are always looking for ways to enhance our healthcare facilities programs. The Patient Flow Manager is a much-needed service in today's busy hospital settings. We are pleased to have developed such a successful program and look forward to putting what we've learned and perfected at Bronx-Lebanon to use in other healthcare facilities."
And Bronx-Lebanon's Torres is a happy man. "No more angry transport emails for me," he said, smiling. "Now I can focus on what it takes to run the operations of this facility with the confidence that my emergency department is running like a well-oiled machine."
In addition to moving patients through the emergency room process, a bed expediter also is able to track trends and provide the hospital with important data. "We now know about problems before they get away from us and we can deal with issues as they arise, thanks to information collected on a regular basis. Having a 24/7 bed expediter ensures efficiency, cuts costs and promises tremendous ROI," Torres added.
For more information about the Patient Flow Management program at Bronx-Lebanon Hospital Center, click here. For more information about how you can implement a custom-designed patient flow/bed expediter in your healthcare facility, contact Modern Today at 973.599.9393 or web@modernclean.com
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