SHM Converge Scientific Abstract ePoster Gallery-Reducing Length of Stay Through Multidisciplinary Rounds

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This document describes an initiative to reduce hospital length of stay (LOS) at a Florida hospital by combining multidisciplinary rounds (MDRs) with two digital tools: the Anticipated Date of Transition (ADOT) tool in Epic and the LOS Toolkit in Zenith.<br /><br />LOS is defined as the time from admission to discharge. Shortening LOS can improve hospital capacity, while prolonged stays are associated with worse outcomes such as higher mortality, hospital-acquired infections, mental health concerns, and reduced mobility. MDRs, where providers from different disciplines meet to jointly plan patient care, improve communication and have been linked to shorter LOS and higher satisfaction.<br /><br />Before August 2023, the hospitalist group was not meeting LOS goals. In response, they implemented a structured workflow: MDRs focused on key discharge and care progression items, the ADOT tool helped identify patients ready for discharge and highlighted barriers, and the Zenith LOS Toolkit provided education on issues affecting LOS.<br /><br />After implementing these three tools, the hospitalist group saw a 20% reduction in LOS. Higher use of the ADOT tool by physicians and floors was associated with better LOS outcomes. The team also perceived fewer calls from other healthcare providers, suggesting improved coordination.<br /><br />Overall, the project concludes that combining MDRs with standardized digital tools can improve communication, discharge planning, and operational efficiency, leading to meaningful reductions in LOS.

Asset Subtitle

Kimberly B. Zuzak

Meta Tag

Author List Barna Veli, Jonathan Deleon, Kimberly B. Zuzak

Category Research

Concept Length of Stay

Concept Multidisciplinary Rounding

Concept Communication

Concept Shared Decision-Making

Concept Anticipated Date of Transition

Distinguished Non-Finalist

Presenter Organization TeamHealth

Presenting Author Kimberly B. Zuzak

Track Quality Improvement

Keywords

hospital length of stay

multidisciplinary rounds

ADOT tool

Epic

Zenith LOS Toolkit

discharge planning

patient care coordination

hospital operations

length of stay reduction

Florida hospital

Length of Stay

Multidisciplinary Rounding

Communication

Shared Decision-Making

Anticipated Date of Transition