Patient flow efficiency and bed capacity are challenges for health systems both large and small. Increasing patient volume, rising occupancy rates, and delayed discharge workflows cause unnecessary delays in patient care and room turnover. Patient discharge is fraught with delays – from staff manually updating EHRs to indicate a patient has left, to waiting for required medication, or not having a wheelchair – oftentimes a patient is ready for discharge and remaining in the patient room or the patient has been officially discharged and actually left the building but notifications to room cleaning staff and others have not been sent.
These bottlenecks diminish patient satisfaction and significantly reduce hospital revenue. But what if you could automate the discharge workflows that hamstring the process?
Say goodbye to idle beds: Introducing Rapid Room Turnover
Kontakt.io’s Rapid Room Turnover solution leverages Real-Time Location Systems (RTLS) and Internet of Things (IoT) technology to streamline patient discharge workflows. By using Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) tags, hospitals gain live visibility into patient movements, allowing environmental services teams to receive automated notificationsas soon as a patient is detected discharged. This real-time approach accelerates the cleaning workflow, reduces idle bed time, and optimizes patient throughout.
By cutting up to 50% from the typical two-hour discharge process, hospitals can achieve real business impact, including:
- 4.17% increase in patient capacity
- 760 additional patients accommodated per year
- $1.52 million in additional annual revenue
“Patient discharge—the final step in a patient’s journey—is one of the most obvious waste items in patient flow, causing operational inefficiencies such as unnecessary wait times and extended length of stay,” said Rom Eizenberg, Chief Revenue Officer and Head of Product Innovation at Kontakt.io. “The Rapid Room Turnover solution helps hospitals unlock faster ROI through greater capacity while freeing up nurses from tedious admin tasks to focus on bedside care.”
Giving Nurses More Time at the Bedside
Beyond reducing idle bed time, Kontakt.io’s Rapid Room Turnover solution directly benefits hospital staff—especially nurses. While nurses play a crucial role in bedside care, they often spend their valuable time on tedious, administrative tasks such as updating EHRs for discharges. With this new solution, nurses are relieved of the burden of manually notifying patient room availability, giving them more time with patients.
Reducing Wait Times and Improving Patient Throughput
As healthcare systems continue to navigate the challenges of increasing patient demand and limited resources, solutions like Rapid Room Turnover offer a glimpse into the future of hospital care operations. Integrating RTLS and BLE technology into daily operations, hospitals can streamline workflows, minimize bottlenecks, and enhance both staff and patient experiences.
By reducing wait times, eliminating idle bed time, and ensuring that nurses can dedicate more time to patient care, Kontakt.io is setting a new standard for patient flow and care operations efficiency.
Ready to see how Rapid Room Turnover can transform your hospital’s operations? Contact us today to learn more and schedule a demo.
