CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- A study conducted by UPMC and Emmi Solutions that demonstrates how technology engages patients and leads to a reduced length of hospital stay has been selected by the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) to be displayed as a storyboard at the 22nd Annual National Forum on Quality Improvement in Health Care, December 5-8, 2010 in Orlando, Fla. The storyboard, “Technology Engages Patients, Reduces Length of Stay,” details a data analysis conducted at UPMC after the hospital began prescribing interactive multimedia programs to further engage and inform its pre-surgical patients.
The data is based on a recent retrospective analysis conducted at UPMC involving 3,300 inpatient medical records in six diagnostic-related groups (DRGs). Patients who viewed Emmi® programs prior to their procedures had an on-average stay of 0.7 days lower than non-program viewers.
Emmi® programs are about 20 minutes long and use easy-to-understand language – supported by audio, text and images – to guide patients through their hospital experience from pre-op to post-op. The programs include basic information about the patient’s condition, their upcoming procedure, recovery information, risks/benefits and alternatives.
“This storyboard further validates how technology enables hospitals to simultaneously improve both quality and efficiency,” explains Cathryn Crookston, R.N., B.S.N., C.C.E. at Emmi Solutions, who will represent the storyboard at the IHI Forum. “Emmi programs assist healthcare providers by reinforcing messages around the patient’s upcoming procedure or health condition so they can partner more effectively in their care, which improves quality and safety as well as the overall patient experience.”
The six DRGs in the 21-month analysis included: 330 major small and large bowel procedures with complications and co-morbidities (CC); 470 major joint replacements without major CC (MCC); 707 major male pelvic procedures for non-malignancy with and without CC/MCC; and 743 uterine procedures for non-malignancy with and without CC/MCC.
Steps were taken during the analysis to ensure LOS for open and laparoscopic procedures were not compared, and procedures with major complications were not compared to those without. Patients involved in the analysis were from UPMC Presbyterian, UPMC Shadyside, UPMC St. Margaret, and Magee-Womens Hospital of UPMC.
“UPMC originally purchased Emmi programs to inform and engage patients about their upcoming procedure, chronic condition, or a particular moment in care,” explains Thomas Worrall, M.D., medical director, UPMC Center for Quality Improvement and Innovation. “Now, in addition to these benefits, we are seeing a correlation between Emmi programs and improved outcomes such as shorter hospital stays.”
The storyboard will be featured at the IHI Forum as part of the 2010 Storyboard Display in the Exhibition Hall. It will be open for viewing throughout the day on Tuesday, December 7, and for a half day on Wednesday, December 8.
About Emmi Solutions, LLC
Healthcare providers use Emmi programs to engage patients and attribute their use with reduced surgical cancellation rates, length of stay and malpractice claims, and improved efficiency and patient satisfaction. The interactive media platform enables hospitals to track patient participation, enhance the patient experience and meet regulatory guidelines.
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