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Q Bulletin, Volume 1, No. 32 (Supplement 1), Jan - Dec 202412th National QA Convention, 8 %u2013 10 October 2024QLL-134Reducing Nursing Discharge Time for Inpatient in Hospital WardsRozita T, Yap PL, Saza Asyikin Z, Sharifah Zaharah SA, Norhayati D, Aishaton Hana IColumbia Asia Hospital Cheras, SelangorSELECTION OF OPPORTUNITIES FOR IMPROVEMENT:The current inefficient discharge process, which involves multiple steps like medical clearance,paperwork and nursing discharge, results in prolonged wait times, and hospital efficiency in bedallocation. Our goal is to reduce the average nursing discharge from 1 hour and 8 minutes to under 50minutes.KEY MEASURES FOR IMPROVEMENT:The study aimed to achieve a 28% reduction in nursing discharge time. By measuring discharge timesover a set period and identifying contributing factors via a checklist, we gathered data indicating delay innursing discharge of 1 hour and 8 minutes. This supports the necessity of the project to enhance overallefficiency in bed allocation.PROCESS OF GATHERING INFORMATION:We collected three months of data from multidisciplinary wards for analysis, using a checklist to identifydelays and bottlenecks in the discharge process.ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION:Our analysis identified several key issues contributing to inefficiencies in the discharge process, includinginsufficient staffing, unclear procedures, and paperwork delays. The major delay was pinpointed in thenursing discharge step, averaging 1 hour and 8 minutes. To address this, we rostered and allocateddesignated staff to oversee the discharge process, and deployed a tracking checklist to ensure compliancewith the streamlined nursing discharge procedure.STRATEGIES FOR CHANGE:We implemented a revised discharged protocol with dedicated personnel and checklist.Post-implementation measurements showed reduced discharge times, demonstrating the effectiveness ofthese changes. The success of this initiative involved close collaboration among nursing staff andadministrative personnel.EFFECT OF CHANGE:After implementing the revised protocol, we successfully reduced discharge times to an average of 49minutes and 37 seconds, significantly improving patient turnover and hospital efficiency. Thisdemonstrates streamlined procedures can significantly enhance hospital efficiency.THE NEXT STEP:We will continuously monitor the new discharge process for a period of 6 months, making furtherrefinements as needed. If successful, we will apply similar improvements to other departments to enhanceoverall hospital efficiency.224 | Page