Robinson, Robert. Improving the chest pain arrival to ECG completion time in a sports complex medical unit. Retrieved from https://doi.org/doi:10.7282/t3-qb7h-hr32
DescriptionPurpose of the Project: The purpose of this project was to improve the processes at the project site from patient arrival to electrocardiogram (ECG) completion to better align with the standards of care. The primary aim was to reduce the patient medical department arrival to ECG time to 10 minutes or less for patients presenting with chest pain or ACS symptoms.
Methodology: The project site is a sport, shopping, and entertainment complex in the Northeast. The data were collected before and after implementing the intervention, a workflow redesign. The data on the patients were obtained through a review of the medical records.
Results: There was a statistically significant difference between door to ECG times between the 2019 and 2022 groups, U = (N1 = 25, N2 = 50) = 247.5, p < 0.001, showing a reduction in the mean from 12.4 to 8.58. In addition, there was a statistically significant difference between the 2018 and 2022 groups of participants, U = (N1 = 25, N2 = 50) = 207.0, p < 0.001, showing in reduction of mean from 12.16 to 8.58. The 2018 and 2019 were used as preintervention since sports events were on lockdown due to the covid pandemic in 2020. There was no statistically significant difference between door to ECG time in 2018 and 2019 groups U = (N1 = 25, N2 = 25) = 289.5, p = 0.652.
Implications for Practice: The implementation of this project will lead to improved clinical practice, patient safety, quality, and medical costs. The findings lead to implementing a policy that will support the incorporation of the intervention at the project site and other institutions. Therefore, the intervention of implementing a new workflow design in the triage area is effective in the reduction of the mean time it takes for patients to receive the ECG after arrival