Patient flow analysis: planning a new surgery unit

Patient flow analysis brings patients to the core of hospital design by formulating target models for care unit’s patient flow and layout. Each patient transfer is a potential source of deviations as well as waste in the treatment process. In the target model the functions creating the main patient flow can be placed next to each other. In this study, a patient flow analysis was conducted in an orthopaedic trauma unit. IA target model was designed for patient flow in which the operational management of the patient flow is the responsibility of one person. To implement the target model, the unit’s operating theatres, ward, x-ray, and outpatient clinic should be placed as close to each other as possible, with x-ray and a plaster cast/orthoses room located in the interface between the ward and outpatient clinic. This target model eliminates around 5000 patient transfers between organisation units, reducing the number into half seen in the current situation. The target model also improves informal interaction between professional teams.