A dataset to improve the throughput of patients
Capacity-and-demand reporting throughout an organisation has been piloted
at three NHS trusts in England. Ray Foley, who manages the Modernisation
Agency’s national RoWBI Project, reports on some of the findings from these
trials, which began in 2002.
ABSTRACT
Use of the RoWBI (Revision of Waiting and Booking Information) dataset —
by which a service can plan, monitor and adjust its throughput of patients
in a timely manner from capacity-and-demand data — has been trialled at
three NHS trusts.
Previously fostered only at departmental/unit level at many care-provider
sites, South Tees, West Dorset and Worthing & Southlands NHS trusts
undertook to test capacity-and-demand reporting as an organisation-wide
tool. Some of the most noteworthy experiences of applying the system at
these testbeds are described.
They focus on user acceptability and co-operation, which was very
positive, and problems in making the necessary changes to the trusts’
patient-administration systems, which caused serious delays.
Br J Healthcare Comput Info Manage 2005; 22(1): 26–8. |
