Increasing Patient Tracking Compliance by Harnessing Frontline Clinician Engagement

Abstract

Introduction:A large urban jurisdiction identified a lack of experience and knowledge in use of the established regional patient tracking system among frontline emergency department employees. Lack of nursing retention, shifted departmental priorities throughout the pandemic response, and decreased opportunities for exercising were notable causes of this identified knowledge gap. Effective patient tracking has a significant impact during response to any event with the capacity to strain the hospital and healthcare system. Mass casualty incidents pose a global threat to all jurisdictions. Recognition of this threat magnifies the importance of establishing a patient tracking system and empowering frontline staff, through education and training, to immediately implement the exercised patient tracking platform.Method:Bolstering hospital readiness through site visits and first-receiver clinician engagement during special event planning improved effective use of a citywide patient tracking system during planned events. “Just-in-time” training tools were developed and distributed during site visits. Notably, identification of key clinical staff at each institution was an important step in meaningful clinician engagement. Utilization of these systems during special events is an opportunity to exercise a high stakes procedure during a low stakes incident.Results:Site visits and training material distribution effectively enhanced first-receiver participation in patient tracking during a special event in comparison to previous special events. Users required less prompting throughout the response, and the post-intervention survey indicated an increase in user confidence levels. Increased utilization of the system improved visibility into the hospital's lived experience while engaged in the response.Conclusion:Targeted site visits and educational material tailored to first-receiver clinicians during special events improved patient tracking efforts throughout a large urban healthcare system. During real and planned events, person and patient tracking allows for patient load balancing across the healthcare system, assists with patient and family reunification, and directs future planning, funding, and first responder and receiver education.