Smoothing variability in patient flow to improve the value of care delivery during the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

The effective management of variability in patient flow can be applied to overburdened hospitals, especially now during the COVID-19 pandemic. The methodology outlined in this paper has been successfully applied in many hospitals throughout the United States and internationally. It is endorsed by prominent hospitals and healthcare systems, regulatory and safety promotion organisations, and esteemed clinical and administrative thought leaders throughout the healthcare industry. Unfortunately, it has not been widely adopted and should be reconsidered now in the midst of the many financial, safety, quality and patient/staff satisfaction challenges facing hospitals today.