Diversion update
For the bloggers asking about updates on the Hospital diversion situation.
Floyd Memorial has been on diversion off and on since the last report. Patients were holding in the ER on both Saturday and Sunday this past weekend. Monday morning the ER was holding 3 patients who were awaiting beds, Tuesday morning the ER was holding ~12 patients and there are 3 on hold this morning.
Attempts are being made to open up other available beds on the floors and work with existing staff. Nurses and other personnel are being asked to volunteer for extra shifts to help cover during this time of the shortage. The flu season has not helped this situation and continues to burden an already overwhelmed system.
Our nurses are extremely conscientious and I have no doubt they will step up to fill the gaps. But in the long run, in my opinion, this is one of the main reasons why so many eventually leave the nursing field altogether.
In addition to the above, our Emergency Room is attempting to implement a new computer charting system during this extremely busy time. This is creating more stress and frustration with the Physicians, staff and patients.
Floyd Memorial has been on diversion off and on since the last report. Patients were holding in the ER on both Saturday and Sunday this past weekend. Monday morning the ER was holding 3 patients who were awaiting beds, Tuesday morning the ER was holding ~12 patients and there are 3 on hold this morning.
Attempts are being made to open up other available beds on the floors and work with existing staff. Nurses and other personnel are being asked to volunteer for extra shifts to help cover during this time of the shortage. The flu season has not helped this situation and continues to burden an already overwhelmed system.
Our nurses are extremely conscientious and I have no doubt they will step up to fill the gaps. But in the long run, in my opinion, this is one of the main reasons why so many eventually leave the nursing field altogether.
In addition to the above, our Emergency Room is attempting to implement a new computer charting system during this extremely busy time. This is creating more stress and frustration with the Physicians, staff and patients.
posted by Anonymous at 6:02 AM
10 Comments:
Every hospital is busy, but after a $65 million dollar expansion, you would have hoped for better.
The reality, Dr. Complainer, is that anything new and/or improved is going to take a sorting-out period. Whether it's a $65M expansion, a new charting program, or a change in the parking lots, there is a learning curve, staffing curve, or what have you. I am sure that the hospital tried to have staff in place to coincide with the new quarters, but you can't hire them too soon or you're spending good money for nothing. You can't close the ER while changes are made. The problem with today's society is that too many people expect instant and perfect results. Problems like this have always occurred; not just in medicine, but in many businesses and industries. The only difference is that today we get to read about it immediately thanks to the internet. You do your best each day. So do other people. How about something positive for a change??
sbavanti63,
I agree everyone expects instant and perfect results. That in itself is the problem because as soon as it doesn't occur, there are people looking for someone to blame.
The medical industry is held to a different standard but not given the adequate resources to meet the standards much of the time.
The reality of diversion, understaffing, new systems being implemented at really busy times is that patient care is jeopardized.
Mistakes are more likely to occur, and physicians are the ones named in the lawsuits routinely.
HB,
Would you care to expand on the medical industry being held to different standards?
sbavanti63,
Can I drive your car? Assuming that I "deciphered" correctly.
The human body is the most complex and dynamic entity currently known to mankind. It is continually changing from its beginning to its end. Medical professionals are expected to do their jobs without mistakes. They are expected to be all-knowing with regards to current studies and practices and held accountable if we deviate from “Standards of Care” even though these standards are forever changing.
Medical errors do happen because we are human, but what medical error is uniformly considered acceptable? What other profession has more malpractice cases directed at them?
Predicting weather is an inexact science but rarely is a meteorologist sued. My son’s car failed emission testing last week. He has now been back to the mechanic 3 times and it still hasn’t passed. Should I sue for failure to diagnose the problem? Lawyers lose cases all the time, but rarely are they held accountable for poor performance or bad outcomes. Most all mechanical parts have an acceptable fault tolerance or precision tolerance that keeps them in compliance. How many patients or lawyers will accept an explanation that 90 percent of a certain medical problem will be benign and we therefore don’t need to do more expensive or invasive tests?
The medical profession has always been held to a higher standard in virtually every culture and every generation.
iamhoosier,
You deciphered my dream. Sadly the reality (an '02 Toyota) is another matter.
HB,
I have no quarrel with your comments regarding the higher standard to which the medical profession is held. Care for human life requires it because so much is at stake. However, diversion at FMHHS or any facility is not a breakdown in care. It's the result of a market that cannot meet the needs it faces, whether for one day or many more. It would be wonderful if all the staffing requirements could be met so as to utilize all the additional space, but neither the hospital board, its administrators, human resources department or even lawyers can make individuals apply for and accept positions if they choose to work elsewhere. As I have come to learn, you were on the board for several years while this expansion came to fruition. If I can't get a bed in my community's hospital, should I sue you for your actions or inactions during that time?
As for the new ER charting program, when exactly would you have them implement it? For some things, there is just no good time.
There are no easy answers and I am certainly no expert. I would have probably stayed completely out of the discussion, but am tired of reading everything in a negative light, especially as it relates to FMHHS. You made some good points recently regarding consumers and insurance companies. If you're going to take the time to write, why not offer expertise that helps us all improve the situation. If we're not part of the solution, we're part of the problem.
Just for your understanding, I have taken the time to arrange meetings with our representatives and have another group of 10 physicians meeting with Mike Sodrel later this month.
I am speaking with a Washington DC group next week on these issues.
I have contacted attorneys and others and I am beginning to implement a new program through our Medical Society to help with some of the insurance problems.
I have been on Hospital committees every year since 1994 trying to make the necessary changes until this year for reasons discussed in previous postings.
I did serve on the Board and continually addressed issues both big and small. Change is not easy and disagreement was rarely accepted. As a member of the Board, I do feel like we allowed for some of these failures. But it was not because they weren't addressed.
What would really help, is more open communication between those making the decisions and those who it directly affects and those who have to implement other peoples choices.
The computer example listed. Physicians and the staff voiced their concern about doing this during the busiest time of the year when we already had another serious ER issue. Delaying this 1-2 months until after flu season would have shown understanding to the input of employees and physicians and would have minimized any more delays in the patient care of the ER.
sbavanti63,
So sad. I withdraw my request. Great dream though.
The new charting system in the ER would not be as big of a problem if one of two things would happen: one)if the ER docs would use it too, this is a system that was designed by ER docs, and if used correctly can be a very efficient system, but the docs at floyd are stuck in their old ways and refuse to even think about using it. Secondly, if the ER management would have shown the docs where to find the information on the print outs that are placed on the charts for them they would have an easier time.
On a separate note, I want to know what administration is going to do to keep the ER staff safe. On Monday nite there was a "riot" in the ER waiting room where angry patients knocked over vending machines and were bangingn on the glass at triage. When the group of old men that FMH calls security gaurds showed up; the angry mob proceeded to laugh and the NAPD had to be called in. If the security officers at FMH were properly trained and perhaps armed then maybe the ER staff would feel a bit safer.
it was because of the diversion that led to patients being held in the ER that then led to 10 hour waits in the waiting room which in turn led to the "riot".
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