Process improvement approaches in emergency departments: a review of the current knowledge
International Journal of Quality & Reliability Management
ISSN: 0265-671X
Article publication date: 29 April 2021
Issue publication date: 25 January 2022
Abstract
Purpose
The healthcare system has been under pressure to provide timely and quality healthcare. The influx of patients in the emergency departments (EDs) is testing the capacity of the system to its limit. In order to increase EDs' capacity and performance, healthcare managers and practitioners are adopting process improvement (PI) approaches in their operations. Thus, this study aims to identify the main PI approaches implemented in EDs, as well as the benefits and barriers to implement these approaches.
Design/methodology/approach
The study is based on a rigorous systematic literature review of 115 papers. Furthermore, under the lens of thematic analysis, the authors present the descriptive and prescriptive findings.
Findings
The descriptive analysis found copious information related to PI approaches implemented in EDs, such as main PIs used in EDs, type of methodological procedures applied, as well as a set of barriers and benefits. Aiming to provide an in-depth analysis and prescriptive results, the authors carried out a thematic analysis that found underlying barriers (e.g. organisational, technical and behavioural) and benefits (e.g. for patients, the organisation and processes) of PI implementation in EDs.
Originality/value
The authors contribute to knowledge by providing a comprehensive review of the main PI methodologies applied in EDs, underscoring the most prominent ones. This study goes beyond descriptive studies that identify lists of barriers and benefits, and instead the authors categorize prescriptive elements that influence these barriers and benefits. Finally, this study raises discussions about the behavioural influence of patients and medical staff on the implementation of PI approaches.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The authors would like to acknowledge the generosity of the Federal University of Technology Paraná’s Biomedical Engineering Postgraduate Research Programme ‐ the support of both has been invaluable in putting this theme together. Furthemore, this study was financed in part by the Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior ‐ Brasil (CAPES) ‐Finance Code 001.
Citation
Volochtchuk, A.V.L. and Leite, H. (2022), "Process improvement approaches in emergency departments: a review of the current knowledge", International Journal of Quality & Reliability Management, Vol. 39 No. 2, pp. 495-520. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJQRM-09-2020-0330
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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