Inpatient Neurology Huddle Quality Improvement Project (P3-7.006)

Abstract

<h3>Objective:</h3> To implement a standardized huddle checklist that includes the important patient related issues that need to be addressed daily during inpatient neurology huddle and to assess the level of satisfaction of neurology health care providers about daily huddle flow both before and after implementing the checklist. <h3>Background:</h3> Inpatient interdisciplinary medical team members’ daily huddle is a meeting at which key issues related to patient care and management are discussed among medical team members. Clear communication is important for good patient outcome as well as health care providers satisfaction. Daily huddle improves patient care, safety, and outcomes by facilitating direct communication among all key members involved in patient care. <h3>Design/Methods:</h3> Using Survey monkey, a pre-implementation data was collected to assess the level of satisfaction of the healthcare providers with huddle flow and patient safety. Post-implementation data collected after 9 months of standard checklist implementation. Descriptive analysis was performed for survey results. <h3>Results:</h3> 33 health care providers participated in the pre-implementation survey: 10 (30.3%) nurses, 20 (60.6%) physicians, 2 (6.06 %) case managers, 1 (3.03%) social worker. 32 health care providers participated in the post-implementation survey: 11 (34.38%) nurses, 17 (53.13%) physicians, 2 (6.25%) case managers, 2 (6.25%) social workers. Prior to checklist implementation, 13 (39.39%) of the participants were satisfied with overall huddle flow. After checklist implementation 25 (78.13%) were satisfied with overall huddle flow. Regarding overall patient’s safety as a result of daily huddle, 14 (42.4%) of the participants were satisfied, 5 (15.15%) were dissatisfied and 14 (42.4%) were neither satisfied nor dissatisfied prior to checklist implementation. After checklist implementation, 24 (75 %) were satisfied, 2 (6.25%) were dissatisfied and 6 (18.75%) were neither satisfied nor dissatisfied with the overall patient’s safety because of daily huddle. <h3>Conclusions:</h3> Our data suggest that standardized huddle checklist improves provider’s satisfaction with huddle workflow and patient safety. <b>Disclosure:</b> Dr. Matloub has nothing to disclose. Dr. Carter has nothing to disclose. Dr. Wang has nothing to disclose.