Delays

Patients are scheduled for each Day list from a number of sources. While some patient data can be collected from a CVIS package, they are often compiled onto a spreadsheet and printed for circulation between the Wards, Labs and Operators, as well as writing on whiteboards.

The common problem, of course, is that this list is rarely 'cast in stone', with amendments throughout the day from Emergencies, Consultant demands and Patient circumstances.

This means that the manual list is never a static document and presents real problems for staff to re-organise and co-ordinate compatible resources.

When lists are presented manually, frequent amendments create a heavy workload for both Lab and Wards, just to keep it up to date and usable. Cancellations, postponements, delays and emergencies all result in a need to re-schedule the patient sequence and Lab timings. Telephone chasing calls and even Ward visits are often necessary, to say nothing of managing resources within the Labs themselves.

When appointment delays occur, they can be highly disruptive. It is not just a question of re-scheduling, but also of re-alignment for procedures planned for that Lab. There is not only the question of data management, but also of sharing the revised status with staff.