KHMHA Introduces Patient Flow Officers to Reduce Emergency Room Wait Times

The Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital Authority (KHMHA) has appointed Patient Flow Officers to its Accident and Emergency Department, a first in the institution’s thirty-year history and a part of its ongoing Institutional Improvement Plan.  Love News understands that the new officers will focus on helping patients move through the emergency department more smoothly, from arrival and assessment to treatment, admission or discharge. They will coordinate with doctors, nurses, laboratory and imaging teams, monitor patient queues, and identify delays that can slow down care.  The initiative is expected to reduce waiting times, speed up the allocation of beds between the emergency department and hospital wards, improve follow-up on laboratory and imaging results, and support more timely discharge planning. It is also expected to create a more organized working environment for healthcare staff while improving the experience for patients and their families.  KHMHA Chief Executive Officer Sharine Reyes says long waits can affect patient outcomes, but with the introduction of these PFOs, patients will be moved through the emergency area quicker.