Information Flow Development for Mater Private Hospital Cardiology Department

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“I was impressed with the ability of HCI’s Specialists to so quickly come to grasp with a highly complex care environment. Their expertise helped us to efficiently and effectively map out the current workflows and highlight the opportunities to develop our service through the future implementation of a best in class Cardiovascular Information System in the Mater Private Hospital.”

Hugh Healy

Director of Cancer, Mater Private Hospital.

Background

The Cardiology Department within the Mater Private Hospital Dublin plans to implement a Cardiovascular Information System in order to streamline and collate all of the information collected in, and generated by, the department in one single information system.

In anticipation of this, the department wished to map out and analyse the processes and information flows in relation to the cardiac diagnostic testing and cardiac procedures undertaken in the hospital.

In order to ensure this was done to the highest standard, the Mater Private Hospital Cardiology Department enlisted HCI to provide support in the workflow analysis and in developing process flows for the department.

Objectives

  • To map out the current workflow for the diagnostic and procedural services provided by the Cardiology Department in the Mater Private Hospital.
  • Within each of the processes, specifically outline the information flows within each of the services.
  • Identify proposed reengineered processes in relation to the introduction of the Cardiovascular Information System.
  • Involve all relevant stakeholders in the process.
  • Undertake the process utilising a combination of document review, audit and process mapping.

Solution

In order to ensure the Cardiology Department of the Mater Private Hospital implemented appropriate and best practice process flows for the department, HCI provided the following services:

Development of project plan, project risk register and stakeholder communication plan.

Document review of all relevant documents pertaining to the Cardiology department.

Onsite audit of the current processes and information flow within the department.

Process mapping to define and document the information flow within the department.

Development of process flow charts.

Development of recommendations for improvements in processes based on key risk areas.

Presentation, review and sign off of the process flow charts and recommendations.

Challenges

  • There were many systems and different ways of doing things within the Cardiology Department.
  • There was repetition and duplication of information as systems didn’t interlink with each other.
  • Some processes were paper based, some were electronic systems based.
  • Some confusion around the various steps in a process.

Outcome

Following the document review, onsite audit and process mapping with key Cardiology team members, 47 process maps with a specific focus on information flow were developed to reflect the current processes in the Mater Private Hospital Cardiology Department.

HCI also developed a report on the risks associated with the current processes in relation to information management and set out proposed recommendations associated with these risks and high-level flow charts depicting conceptually how an integrated information system could coordinate and streamline the information flow.

Benefits

  • Comprehensive and independent review of processes, that sought opinions from all key people involved in all stages of a process from referrals right through to discharge.
  • Risk areas were identified in association with the current processes in relation to information management.
  • Processes are now clearly defined, giving clarity to staff on the key stages.
  • Recommendations provided by HCI focused on streamlining of processes to help reduce duplication and focus on a central storage area for information.
  • Processes are more efficient, giving staff more time to perform their care duties.
  • Reduction in paper-based administration flow.

Specialist

Janine Higgins

Director of Quality Information Systems (QIS)

Phone: +353 (0)93 36126

Email: info@hci.care

To learn more about how we can help, get in touch today.

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