Six ways not to improve patient flow: a qualitative study (February 2016)

Summary

Although well-established principles exist for improving the timeliness and efficiency of care, many organisations struggle to achieve more than small-scale, localised gains. Where care processes are complex and include segments under different groups' control, the elegant solutions promised by improvement methodologies remain elusive. This study, published in BMJ Quality and Safety, sought to identify common design flaws that limit the impact of flow initiatives.