Authors (including presenting author) :
Kwok D(1), Yip B(1), Wong W(1), Lee S(1), Wong PS(2), Tsang WY(3), Wong PK(3), Fu B(1), Leung LM(2), Tang E(4), Wong S(3), Lau KK(5), Wong D(5)
Affiliation :
(1)Administrative Services Division, (2)Nursing Services Division, (3)Renal Unit, Department of Medicine and Geriatrics, United Christian Hospital (4)Nursing Services Department, (5)Information Technology and Health Informatics Division, Hospital Authority Head Office
Keyword 2: :
Registration
Keyword 3: :
Smart System
Keyword 4: :
Patient Centric
Introduction :
To enhance patient experience, United Christian Hospital (UCH) in collaboration with the Patient Administration System (PAS) team of Hospital Authority Head Office (HAHO), has developed an innovative Semi-Self-Service admission system. This pioneering approach allows patients to complete their admission procedures at the Renal Ambulatory Care Centre (RACC) via dedicated terminal devices, eliminating the need to visit the Admission Office located in another hospital building.
Objectives :
Enhancing Patient-Centric Service The primary goal of this project is to enhance patient-centric support to frail patients of RACC. Through this one-stop service approach, patients can proceed directly to the RACC for admission registration upon arrival at the hospital. The travel and queuing time was significantly reduced and the steps in patient journey was much simplified. Minimize Congestion By diverting patients to complete the admission registration directly in the RACC, it alleviates the congestion situation at the registration area during peak hours, and fosters both patient comfort and service efficiency.
Methodology :
To achieve this one-stop admission service, an Inpatient Administration System (IPAS) has been installed at the RACC. 1. Patients interact with colleagues at the admission office via a video call 2. During the Semi-Self-Service process, patients present their identity card, allowing admission staff to verify their identities on the screen and complete the registration via online system 3. Once registration is completed, nurses at the RACC will receive patient labels and wristbands printed out from the remote IPAS system at the nurse station for patient’s identity verification
Result & Outcome :
The Semi-Self-Service system is currently piloting at the RACC, and over 1000 patients have been successfully supported. By deploying the new admission workflow, over 23 minutes of traveling and waiting time for each patient was saved. Patient feedback collected by patient survey indicated a high level of patient satisfaction, primarily due to 1) elimination of long walking distances to Admission Office and the subsequent service unit upon arrival at the hospital; and 2) significant decrease in waiting times for admission. In conclusion, this interim measure has not only streamlined the admission process for renal day patients and enhanced the patient experience, but also provided valuable insights for further development of full automation of admission process for day patients. With the success of this interim solution, a strong foundation was established for facilitating the development of a fully automated “Smart Admission Registration System” by leveraging the experience gained.
