Introduction: In alignment with our commitment to enhancing operational efficiency and patient care, we standardized provider call schedules across our organization. This project, implemented successfully at six of our 14 hospitals, transitions from traditional paper-based schedules to an electronic system, significantly improving response times to emergencies and on-call needs.

Objective/purpose: Our objective is to empower providers and their teams to manage their schedules within Amion, mitigating the inefficiencies of manual scheduling and ensuring seamless integration with Epic's On-Call Finder. This integration enables hospital staff to access real-time on-call information within the electronic health record (EHR), allowing for swift identification of available providers and better patient care.

Improving Communication: Effective communication between healthcare providers and nursing staff is paramount to patient safety, as emphasized by national guidelines from organizations such as the Joint Commission and the Institute for Healthcare Improvement. Our initiative directly addresses these guidelines by fostering a culture of collaboration and proactive communication among providers and nursing staff. The findings of the Nursing Management Journal highlight how digital health technologies, such as electronic scheduling, improve communication and streamline workflows.

Clinical informaticist role: As clinical informaticists, we collaborated with stakeholders to develop effective communication channels using Amion. We ensured that essential information was communicated before implementation, allowing stakeholders to prepare for training sessions. Our efforts organized critical data required to establish schedules compliant with guidelines.

Workflow improvements: Transitioning to an electronic scheduling system enhances clarity and accountability, promoting an environment where providers take ownership of their schedules. We reduce miscommunication, streamline workflows, and improve patient care quality by leveraging technology. Expanding this initiative to remaining hospitals will create a more efficient healthcare environment, prioritizing staff satisfaction and patient outcomes.

Results: Implementing electronic schedules has significantly improved communication efficiency, evidenced by a marked increase in secure messages via Epic Secure Chat. This has facilitated quicker interactions between nurses and providers, improving response times to patient needs. Importantly, we observed a reduction in sentinel events related to patient communication, indicating enhanced patient safety outcomes. Both providers and nursing staff reported greater workflow satisfaction due to streamlined processes.

Key takeaways: Securing a physician champion is crucial for successful system implementation, emphasizing the importance of practical use. Establishing clear responsibilities for sending and receiving schedules, identifying schedule administrators, and maintaining IT connections are essential for the integrity and efficacy of the integrated scheduling system.

Conclusion: This initiative highlights the necessity of educating nursing staff and partnering with providers to promote continuous improvement in communication. This will ultimately enhance patient care outcomes across our organization. By integrating evidence-based practices, we pave the way for a more responsive healthcare system prioritizing quality and safety.

Lisa Bostick

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