Leading Indianapolis Health System reduces ED boarding 45% through LeanTaaS-powered departure lounge optimization

This Indianapolis acute care health system experienced significant ED boarding challenges, where admitted patients remained in the ED due to insufficient inpatient bed availability. This resulted in extended patient wait times, inefficient use of ED resources, inconsistent discharge processes, and suboptimal utilization of an existing departure lounge.

From November 2023 to June 2024, the health system implemented a multi-faceted departure lounge optimization initiative using LeanTaaS iQueue for Inpatient Flow. This included physical space redesign, specialized staff training on discharge procedures, early multidisciplinary discharge planning starting at admission, and a real-time software system to track bed availability, predict discharges, and manage departure lounge capacity.

The initiative achieved a 45% decrease in ED boarding, reducing average boarding time from 20 hours to 11 hours per patient. Departure lounge utilization increased 250%, rising from an average of 10 patients per day to 35. Discharge processing time variance was reduced by 18%, with the organization planning to expand the model to additional facilities.

• A holistic approach combining physical redesign, staff training, technology integration, and patient education is essential for sustainable patient flow improvement.
• Real-time predictive analytics for bed availability and discharge forecasting are critical enablers of proactive capacity management.
• Empowering staff with streamlined discharge workflows reduces administrative burden and allows more focus on direct patient care.