ED healthcare professionals and their notions of productivity

Abstract

By exploring how these HCPs experienced and made sense of productivity improvement and productive healthcare, the data reveals how HCPs may reconcile a culture of caring with one of efficiency. Understanding healthcare productivity from this perspective has potential implications for service improvement design and performance measurement.

Physiotherapy-as-first-point-of-contact-service for patients with musculoskeletal complaints: understanding the challenges of implementation

“…There is also an extant literature which considers the implementation of service re-design as a tool to improve productivity within the general healthcare context (Appleby et al ., 2014). Social science has made a significant contribution to this literature, with the premise that consideration of social structure and agency is imperative for those who wish to effect sustained improvements in practice, particularly in identifying barriers and enablers (Moffatt et al ., 2016). The findings of this current evaluation are consistent with, and provide support for, this body of literature.…”

Health professionals’ perspectives of patients’ and family members’ needs in emergency departments and patient pathway improvement: a qualitative study in Denmark

“… 1 Healthcare professionals (HCPs) in EDs are aware of the importance of productivity, with high patient flow as a key element in the organisational structure. 2 Based on a British ethnographic study, HCPs believe that approaches to productivity should be patient centred; moreover, they are aware that the productivity line could be dehumanising, thus compromising patients’ sensibilities. 2 An Australian qualitative study exploring HCP experiences during the implementation of the 4-hour rule in the ED 1 found a trade-off, namely, the reduction of HCP–patient communication because of an increased patient flow.…”

“… 2 Based on a British ethnographic study, HCPs believe that approaches to productivity should be patient centred; moreover, they are aware that the productivity line could be dehumanising, thus compromising patients’ sensibilities. 2 An Australian qualitative study exploring HCP experiences during the implementation of the 4-hour rule in the ED 1 found a trade-off, namely, the reduction of HCP–patient communication because of an increased patient flow. 1 Therefore, HCPs need to balance patient interaction in the ED while striving to achieve organisational goals, create caring encounters and acknowledge patients’ individual needs to improve care.…”

“…International guidelines have highlighted the need for an effective treatment plan within 4 hours to prevent overcrowding in emergency departments (EDs) 1. Healthcare professionals (HCPs) in EDs are aware of the importance of productivity, with high patient flow as a key element in the organisational structure 2. Based on a British ethnographic study, HCPs believe that approaches to productivity should be patient centred; moreover, they are aware that the productivity line could be dehumanising, thus compromising patients’ sensibilities 2.…”

Slow or swift, your patients’ experience won’t drift: absence of correlation between physician productivity and the patient experience

“…7 However, rapid care may limit the duration and quality of physician-patient interactions, which are primary determinants of the patient experience. 8,9 One way of measuring how patients are affected by the constraints placed on physicians and EDs is to measure the quality of the patient experience during their ED visit. In fact, some argue that the quality of health care in EDs is best reflected in patient experience measures.…”