New Computer System Helping Improve Patient Flow in Emergency Room

Continuing NFRH’s commitment to patient satisfaction

            June 15, 2004 – Roswell, GA – The North Fulton Regional Hospital’s emergency services department has grown rapidly over the years, now seeing over 37,000 patients a year on average.  A busy emergency department like this faces many challenges, including the treatment of a variety of patients with injuries ranging from minor cuts and scrapes to life threatening trauma cases.  The ER physicians, nurses and staff work closely to triage and treat patients efficiently.  Although attention is given to all patients, it is at times, necessary for the most severely injured or sick patients to be examined and treated before people who have been waiting to be seen for a minor injury.

            North Fulton Regional Hospital has implemented a new computer system to better track and document emergency patient care.  The new systems went live in late 2003 and now after six months of getting physicians and staff trained and on board, the benefits are now being realized.  These benefits include:

The new system allows for emergency physicians and staff to access patient charts online anywhere within the department. 

Nursing supervisors and other department directors can now review the emergency department status in real-time from remote monitors.

Electronic “patient boards” or monitors allow clinical staff in the emergency department to see a full display of the ER including treatment rooms and waiting areas.  This display also provides a visual status of the patient’s lab and radiology reports and other physician order results.

            “Our length of stay from admission to discharge in the ED has reduced from an average of a little over three hours to a little over two and a half hours since system implementation,” says Joan Birzes, Emergency Department / Trauma Director.  With this new system, typical patients can be electronically tracked from the time they register, to triage, to their treatment rooms and as their test results come in.  If admitted to patient rooms in the hospital or when discharged, the new system even helps monitor when rooms are empty, notifies staff that rooms are ready to be cleaned and then again when the rooms are available for the next patients.  This closely monitored process can help reduce wait times and improve the overall flow of treatment for patients in the emergency department.

            North Fulton Regional Hospital (NFRH), opened in 1983, is a 167-bed, acute-care community hospital located on Highway 9 (Alpharetta Highway) in Roswell, Georgia.  NFRH serves North Fulton and surrounding counties through its team of over 1000 employees, 450 physicians  on staff and 250 volunteers.  North Fulton Regional Hospital is proud to be celebrating its twenty year anniversary serving North Georgia.  More information on services offered at North Fulton Regional Hospital can be found at www.northfultonregional.com

# # #