Improving the ED: How Highland Community Hospital increased its Emergency Department performance by an average of 32%. www.keystonehealthcare.com

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Case Study:
Highland Community Hospital
Improving the ED: How Highland Increased its ED performance by an
average of 32%

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Highland Community Hospital
✚ Part of Forrest Health System
✚ Located in Picayune, MS
✚ 21,000 ED visits per year
✚ 60 patients per day
✚ 60 bed facility

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The Challenges
✚ Lack of physician leadership within
the Emergency Department
✚ Lack of partnership between nursing
staff and physicians
✚ Lack of partnership between
Physicians and Advanced Practice
Providers
✚ Failing metrics
✚ Poor community Image of the ED
✚ Poor communication with
administration and failure to address
Administrator’s goals for the ED
✚ Unengaged physicians
✚ Difficulty admitting patients due to
fractured relationship between ED
physicians and admitting physicians

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The Goals
✚ Higher patient satisfaction
✚ Improved metrics in the ED
✚ Better communication
between the ED and
Inpatient Services
Highland and Keystone worked together to
implement the following solutions which
would lead to the achievement of these 3
goals.

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The Solutions
✚ Provided full-time ABEM Boarded ED
Director and Assistant Director, both of
whom were trained in leadership
management
✚ Provided Nurse Liaison to meet onsite
monthly with nurses and physicians to
facilitate communication
✚ Provided experienced APP leaders for the
EM & HM Programs
✚ Provided scribes to assist with
documentation education and support for
the EMR
✚ Established monthly “Patient Flow” Meeting
attended by all hospital leaders
✚ Integrated the EM & HM Programs and
worked through longstanding issues as a
team to eliminate barriers
✚ Participated in community events

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The Results
Admissions Increased 10%
LWBS Decreased 51%
Door to Physician Decreased 29% to 28 minutes
Door to Discharge Decreased 9% to 2:06
Door to Admission Decreased 31% to 3:03
Admit Decision to Departure Decreased 67% to 24 minutes

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From the Leaders at Highland
“Keystone delivers world-class service.”
-Administrator, Highland Community Hospital
“Clearly, Keystone is a company that understands the
importance of aligning corporate goals without losing the quality
of care delivered and importance of personal relationships.”
-ED Director, Highland Community Hospital
“Keystone allowed me to grow as an individual, obtain
confidence and continue to excel as a leader.”
-Assistant ED Director, Highland Community Hospital

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The Patient Matters Most
By utilizing the resources that
Keystone helped to provide, Highland
Community Hospital achieved their
goals of increased patient
satisfaction, improved metrics and
healthy communication between
departments.
In the end, Highland created a
better experience for the patient,
and ultimately, that is what
matters.

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More Engaged. Better Results.