Potentially Avoidable Hospital System Delay –Tracking In Post–Surgical Patients In A Tertiary Care Hospital Of West Bengal

Kuntala Ray; Hironmoy Roy

Volume : VIII, Issue : VI, June - 2019

Potentially Avoidable Hospital System Delay –Tracking In Post–Surgical Patients In A Tertiary Care Hospital Of West Bengal

Kuntala Ray, Hironmoy Roy

Abstract :

Rationality: A �delay� is the hospital treatment process is the time–lag between the service (advice) offered to the service (treatment) gained; which is in majority of the cases are unintentional and due to the gross imbalance of demand of the service and the strength of service providers. Aim: This study aimed to explore those potentially avoidable hospital system delays in the patients of a rural tertiary care hospital of West Bengal. Methods: Data was collected from post–surgical patients by interviewing them as well as scrutinizing their treatment record–sheet, in their pre–admission and post–admission phase. Result: In the OPD almost 92% patients experienced a delay of more than 30 minutes to reach the doctor. While they have attended the investigation department, they experienced maximum delay for the radiological investigations. After admission, patients have experienced even more than 10 days delay for scheduling OT, for the delayed pre–anesthetic clearance. As a result it was found that 70% of subjects are having hospital admission nearly one month. Conclusion: Thus an internal quasi–audit has been made out to search the pockets which are delaying the procedures of hospital service as well as making longer stay of patient, which were correctable and potentially avoidable.