Resolve Overcrowding in Emergency Departments in Hospital - Report Example

Business саsе tо rеsоlvе оvеrсrоwding in emеrgеnсy dераrtmеnts Name: Institution: Table of contents 1. Introduction…………………………….………………………………………..3 1.1 Background……………………………….…………………………………3 1.2 Justification…………………………………..………………………………3 1.3 Project goals…………………………………………….……………………4 1.4 Assumptions and constraints…………………………………………………4 2. Options…………………………………………………………..……………….4 2.1 Identified options……………………………………………….…………….4 2.1.1 Option 1……………………………………………..………………..5 2.1.2 Option 2……………………………………………..…….…………..6 2.1.3 Option 3………………………………………………………………6 2.2 Comparison of options…………………………………….………………….7 2.3 Recommended option…………………………...……………………………9 3. Implementation plan………………………………………………………………9 3.1 Project title……………………………………….……………………………9 3.2 Target outcomes…………………………………..…………………………..9 3.3 Plan overview………………………………………..……………………….9 3.4 Budget……………………………………………….……………………….10 3.5 Resources……………………………………………………………………..10 4. Governance…………………………………………………….…………………10 5. Project review and closure………………………………………………………..11 6. References……………………………………………...…………………………12 BUSINESS САSЕ TО RЕSОLVЕ ОVЕRСRОWDING IN EMЕRGЕNСY DЕРАRTMЕNTS 1. Introduction 1.1 Background This project proposal analyzesthe slow nature with which doctors react to emergency cases at Flinders Medical hospital in Adelaide city and suggests the best way possible to solve the issue. This is a phenomenon that has been going on not only at Flinders medical hospital but also in most of the medical hospitals in Adelaide city. This plan sets out the cheapest and most efficient way to solve the situation. It is important to undertake this plan because the current situation has caused many deaths and if not solved can lead to even more deaths. It is a situation that has caused a lot of suffering to sick people and in particular those in critical situations. 1.2 Justification This project needs to be undertaken so as to put a stop to human suffering. According to Kahn (Kahn, 2004: p33), emergency patients are forced to wait for long hours on hospitals queues before they can get attendance from the doctors. In his article, he strongly urges the government to design a way of solving the situation. This situation is mainly caused by lack of enough bed space in the hospitals, lack of enough skilled nurses at the hospitals and lack of good and stable hospitals in the south coast.According to Kahn (Kahn, 2004: p93)this situation has causes around 64 deaths per month. This is a very high mortality rate. In his book he argues that if this rate of mortality continues, the country can easily be wiped out. In Kahn ’s book, a good number of professionals who are supposed to be giving service to the community have been admitted in critical conditions in hospitals due to late attendance by the doctors at the hospitals. 1.3 Project goals The main goal of this project is to give a cost effective and simple way with which long queues at hospitals can be reduced. To do this, the government will need to construct three more hospitals in Adelaide city and improve the current hospitals operating in the city. In addition to this, the government will also need to employ more nurses and doctors who can capably manage the large number of patients that stream into the hospitals without shortages. The government will also need to employ an emergency consultant who will be directing ambulances to hospitals that do not have many casualties. 1.4 Assumptions and constraints In this plan, it is assumed that the government will have all the funds needed to effect the required changes in the system of operation of the hospitals. It is also assumed that the government will agree to all the suggested changes and will not object some. There is also an assumption that the government will be funding the payment of the additional nurses each year. 2. Options 2.1 Identified options The government should set aside more money to invest into the health sector. The government needs to set rules to restrict referrals from the South Coast from bringing their patients to Flinders medical center. If patients are already lining at the hospitals, the incoming ones need to be referred to other regions bordering Adelaide city. 2.1.1 Option 1 The first option to be taken by the government to correct the situation is to increase the amount of money used in the ministry of health. It is estimated to cost $ 89.7 million. This money will be used in expanding the size of Flinders medical center and Noarlunga hospital. The ground space will need to be expanded so as to allow take up of more beds in the hospitals. The hospitals need to be expanded so that they can each accommodate 600 beds. Money also needs to be available for the purchase of the bed sheets, tools, medicine and equipment. The government also needs to use the money to set up one additional hospital in Adelaide city. Money also needs to be used to employ enough nurses and doctors to deal with the increased number of patients. An emergency consultant will also need to be employed in the city. He will have an office at the Adelaide city health offices and will be responsible for directing all emergency ambulances to hospitals he is sure are not crowded. This will help solve the scenarios where an ambulance has to go to a hospital only to find that it if full and has again to go to another hospital. This wastes a lot of time and can even lead to the death of a patient. The limitation of this option is that it is very expensive. It also takes a lot of time to be accomplished if at all the government ventures in it. The shareholder that will be affected more is the government. It will need to spend a lot of money to accomplish this plan. 2.1.2 Option 2 The next option is to limit or stop the referral of patients from the South coast hospitals. This kind of referral only increases the length of queues at Flinders medical center. The hospitals at the South coast need to be developed so that they are independent and can solve all the critical issues by themselves. This option will actually cost nothing. It is in fact a reduction of travelling costs by the ambulances. The disadvantage of this option is that the hospitals in the South Coast may not be up to date in dealing with patients with critical conditions. All stakeholders in this case are not affected by this option. 2.1.3 Option 3 The other option that can be applied to solve the situation is to direct referrals to other hospitals in other regions other than Adelaide city. Once there are a number of patients on the queue, the management team is supposed to direct any other additional ambulance to other hospitals outside the region. This option is also expensive as the transportation of the patient to other regions is expensive. The cost depends on the distance to be covered to get to the nearest hospital in the other region. The operators of the emergency ambulance are the shareholders that incur the cost of the transportation. This cost is further transferred to the patient. 2.2 Comparison of options Criteria Option 1 Option 2 Option 3 Benefits It is very efficient;it solves the crisis completely. Does not involve any costs. It does not have a major advantage as compared to the other options. Drawbacks The main drawback is that it is very expensive. It is also likely to take a very long time before it is complete to run as stipulated. The main drawback is that it can block patients that cannot be handled by the hospitals in the South Coast. This can endanger the life of most of the patients. The main drawback is that the cost incurred is determined by the distance travelled and can be very expensive in certain cases. Costs It is very expensive and estimated to take $ 89.7 million. It does not involve incurring any costs for all the parties involved. Cost depends on the distance covered. It is approximately $60 per a full round trip. Risks The main risk is that it may take years to complete hence still keeping patients in long queues. The main risk is that it can endanger lives of patients who cannot be handled by hospitals in the South Coast. The main risk is that the distance to be covered can be very long and can thus cause the death of a patient before reaching the destination to be attended to. Stakeholder impact The government as a stakeholder incurs much cost for setting up new buildings and expansion the existing ones. This option does not have major impacts to the stakeholders. The stakeholder providing the ambulance faces high costs of transportation. Issues The main issue of concern is the high initial cost of the project. The main issue is that it can endanger lives in the South Coast. It can endanger life because of the long distance to be travelled. It can also be expensive if they have to travel longer distances. 2.3 Recommended option From the discussion above, it is then evident that the first option is the most appropriate for solving this crisis. It is seen to be self-satisfying once the whole project has been completed. It also instills efficiency in the health sector. This is because all things will be updated hence will be very easy to use. 3. Implementation plan 3.1 Project title Hospitals construction and renovation project 2013 (HCREP 2013) 3.2 Target outcomes Implementing this project will have many good outcomes. It will help increase the number of beds in the hospitals in Adelaide city. This will create enough space to accommodate a good number of patients. It will also increase the number of nurses in the hospitals thus reducing the time used in the queuing at the hospitals. The increased number of nurses also enhances better service delivery at the hospitals. It will also reduce operation costs in the ministry as coordination of the different hospitals and stakeholders will be very efficient. 3.3 Plan overview According to the plan, the first thing to be undertaken will be the extension of Flinders medical center. This is expected to take about six months after which the construction of a new hospital will begin. This will be expected to take about one year. After the extension of Flinders medical center, the government will need to employ more nurses so as to cater for the extended number of beds. All the required equipment and tools to be used will also need to be bought. This project will also be focusing at upgrading the current level of the already existing hospitals. This will include buying of equipment that has not been existing at the hospitals. This will help to reduce referrals to other hospitals. A patient will get all the service he will need at one hospital. 3.4 Budget Items of concern Cost in($) Raw materials 20 Construction tools and equipment 10 Construction workers payment and miscellaneous 10 Hospital equipment and tools 8 Hospital general workers, doctors and nurses 10 Total cost 89.7 3.5 Resources The implementation process will require a good number of resources, both human and nonhuman. The construction will require at least ten trucks for the transportation of raw materials to the sites. It will also require construction tools and equipment. Construction engineers, masons, and general workers will be needed in plenty. Water supply will need to be very steady during all this time of the construction. 4. Governance The project will be governed by the representative of the ministry of health at their offices in Adelaide city. He will be responsible for controlling all finances associated with the project. He will also be required to order for raw materials so that they are availed o time. He will be paying the workers according to the agreed upon terms and conditions. He will also be required to give a detailed report of all the activities conducted at the sites every week. The reports will be going to the ministry of health at their national offices for verification and accountability purposes. 5. Project review and closure After the project is over, the minister of health will tour the sites together with his team to ascertain that the project is over as stipulated. The hospitals will then be opened officially by the president of the republic. 6. References Andersen, K. V. 1998,EDI and data networking in the public sector, Boston , Kluwer. Blackwell, E. 2011,How to prepare a business plan, London , Philadelphia, Kogan Page. Fairchild, S. S., & Belock, S. 1993,Comprehensive perioperative nursing review, Boston, Jones and Bartlett Publishers. 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