Patient Flow Software Blog

The Necessity of Patient Transport Management Systems

Posted by Ron Gregg on Wed, Jan 30, 2013 @ 10:29 AM

Bringing the Whole Picture Into Focus

One of the current hot topics in literature about improving hospital care and finances is the introduction of comprehensive real-time patient information that can be shared among diagnostic, clinical and support personnel. This information allows hospital personnel to optimize their impact and it is catching the attention of hospital managers. It turns out there are different and complimentary technological approaches to a solution. Let's see how they work. 
Enterprise Visibility

Enterprise patient visibility systems integrate and centralize essential information with at-a-glance accessibility for the entire patient care team. These systems collect information about admissions, discharges and transfers, orders and results of tests, bed statuses, and patient location information from other systems. This helps clinical, diagnostic and support staff to determine how to prioritize their tasks, and to improve patient experience and outcomes. These systems help create measurable improvements in observation times, bed turnover response, patient satisfaction and volumes.
Transport Management Systems and RTLS Systems

Patient tracking information can be supplied by Real-Time Location Systems using a combination of tags and wireless networks to identify a patient's current location in real-time. Unfortunately, they require an infrastructure that many hospitals cannot afford. A more cost-effective solution comes in the form of an automated Patient Transport Management System, which can offer even better patient logistics information in addition to support for the management of patient transportation. That’s what we like to call a “win-win.” 

How does this system work?

If a patient transport is booked to go to a testing area, you will be able to see when a transporter is assigned and on his or her way to pick up the patient. You also see when they've arrived, any pickup delays that occur, when they depart, where the patient is headed, and when to expect that patient's arrival. RTLS systems can let you know the patient’s location, but without an effective Patient Transport Management system, you won't know where they are heading and when they will arrive to the destination.

A Symbiotic Solution: Joining Enterprise Visibility with the Patient Transport Management System 

A well-designed Patient Transport Management System with a Patient Tracking Interface provides real-time patient logistical information and transporter status updates. This support will enhance any Enterprise Patient Visibility System, such as McKesson's MPV whiteboards. The hospital controls what information is displayed, and this solution makes sure all the information can be gleaned at a glance by your staff units. This information can include:
  • Patient Name and Medical Record Number
  • The trip From-Location and the trip To-location 
  • The current status of the trip, such as Pending, Dispatched, Transporter Arrived at pick-up, Leaving pick-up, Trip Completed, or Canceled 
  • The time of the last change in trip status
  • The ETA for the destination
Another issue addressed by Patient Transport Management Systems is the issue of "bed hiding.” Some of these systems have the capacity to recognize when a patient trip is a discharge from the hospital or a transfer to another bed, indicating that the current bed will need to be cleaned. That information can be sent to the Enterprise Visibility System once the transporter leaves the patient's room or when the trip is completed, providing an early notification for the housekeeping department to start the cleaning process. This allows for accelerated bed availability and reduces the time patients wait in the emergency department.Patient flow and hospital success come down to accurate information communicated quickly and effectively. The combination of Enterprise Visibility and Patient Transport Management Systems displays this information so you and your staff can see the whole picture and stay focused on what’s important: Patient care and safety.get more info about the PTS software

Topics: patient flow, patient transportation, patient transportation software, patient tracking