Medicare patients must have careful consideration paid to their care workflow. It is important that the healthcare team meet to review the workflow from beginning to end of a patient visit to your practice setting. Larry was scheduled to be the key observer for the patient-centered care project at our facility. He was assigned to observe 10 patients. He had to follow the patients from the time that they entered and checked in through processing, taking note of the time it took them to be assigned to a room or a technician. Larry then stayed with them through treatment, testing, or any and all other procedures. Finally, he observed how they were discharged from the practice setting. Once Larry analyzes his timings, notes, patient responses, interaction with the staff, and overall perspective of the experience, he will then set a meeting with the entire staff to discuss his findings and thoughts. Larry will garner others’ perspectives and reaction to his findings.
1. Reflect on two patients.
a. Harriet, an 80-year-old woman entering your practice as a new patient
b. Paul, a 70-year-old man returning for his third visit
2. Think about each of these patients and the experience they would have in your practice setting.
3. How would they each be greeted, who would sign them in, direct them to wait, take them directly to someone, or place them in a room to wait? How long would they wait to be seen and cared for and how would they be discharged from your practice? How long would each visit typically take?