SHM Converge Scientific Abstract ePoster Gallery-Leveraging Physician Expertise to Drive Reduction in Los and Accelerate Discharge Efficiency

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A 900-bed academic hospital implemented a novel “Throughput Hospitalist” role in November 2024 to address fragmented communication, clinical blind spots, and delayed escalation that limited hospital flow. Unlike traditional throughput models focused mainly on discharge logistics, this role used physician expertise to coordinate operational partners, troubleshoot barriers, and facilitate peer-to-peer escalation through thrice-daily huddles with nursing, case management, radiology, cardiology, rehab, and bed management.<br /><br />The intervention was evaluated by comparing 12 months before implementation (11/1/2023–10/31/2024) with 12 months after (11/1/2024–10/31/2025). Key outcomes included the Length of Stay Observed-to-Expected (LOS O/E) ratio and Discharge Efficiency, defined as daily discharges divided by daily clinical encounters.<br /><br />Results showed improved operational performance after the intervention. The LOS O/E ratio decreased from 1.18 to 1.13, indicating movement closer to the national benchmark. Discharge Efficiency also demonstrated a favorable upward slope after implementation, suggesting faster improvement in the number of discharges per clinical encounter.<br /><br />The authors conclude that embedding a non-clinical physician with operational expertise can function as a system-wide “air traffic controller” for patient flow, helping resolve communication gaps at both peer and leadership levels. They view this model as an effective and adaptable innovation that produced rapid, measurable improvements in hospital throughput. Future work may assess effects on provider satisfaction, retention, predictive analytics, and expansion to other services such as surgery and cardiology.

Asset Subtitle

Amanda Magee

Meta Tag

Author List Amanda Magee, Erick Oran, Jenesha Narayanan

Category Innovations

Concept Hospital Flow Management

Concept Throughput Hospitalist

Concept Patient Flow

Concept Communication

Concept clinical workload

Distinguished Non-Finalist

Presenter Organization MedStar Washington Hospital Center

Presenting Author Amanda Magee

Track Value in Hospital Medicine

Keywords

throughput hospitalist

hospital flow

patient throughput

length of stay

discharge efficiency

academic hospital

operational coordination

peer-to-peer escalation

clinical communication

patient flow management

Hospital Flow Management

Throughput Hospitalist

Patient Flow

Communication

clinical workload