Question

2- A nurse develops a quality improvement project to reduce the waiting time of patients in the emergency department. Which institute of medicine’s aim is this project targeting to?

1. Equitable
2. Coordinated
3. Timely
4. Efficient

Answer 1

Ans) Cordinated

- Timeliness and efficiency form two of the six domains of healthcare quality as defined by the Institute of Medicine.

- At the emergency department (ED), prolonged wait times have been found to be associated with increased morbidity and mortality, and decreased patient satisfaction. Increasing attendances to the ED, an ageing population and greater disease complexity, coupled with manpower and physical infrastructural limitations, have made reducing wait times at the ED more difficult.

A team-based approach to care of patients has been found to be associated with better patient outcomes and improved patient satisfaction, likely due to closer communication and coordination between patients and care providers. When implemented at the ED, a team-based patient care has been shown to have positive outcomes.