Discharge Planning and Efficiency
Neurosurgery Discharge Improvement Plan
- Early planning: Establish and communicate discharge plan from Day 1.
- Daily team updates: Discuss discharge date during rounds to ensure alignment.
- Standardized process: Implement consistent discharge protocols across units.
- Ongoing analysis:
- Weekly discharge metrics shared with team leaders.
- Monthly deep dive review of unit-specific data.
- Patient education: Inform patients about the discharge process early and set clear expectations.
FY25 Discharge Goals
- Discharge patients by noon: Aim for timely discharges across all units.
- 50% of discharge orders by 10 a.m.: Ensure at least half of discharge orders are placed early by providers.
- 50% of patients discharged by noon: Achieve at least 50% of discharges before noon.
- Early education and awareness: Educate patients and staff about the discharge process starting from Day 1.
A Year in Review: Data Capture and Results Analysis
| Month | Average Order-to-Discharge Time | % Discharge by Noon |
|---|---|---|
| Sep 24 | 3:40 | 35% |
| Oct 24 | 3:25 | 33% |
| Nov 24 | 3:07 | 37% |
| Dec 24 | 2:58 | 34% |
| Jan 25 | 3:05 | 27% |
| Feb 25 | 2:56 | 26% |
| Mar 25 | 2:42 | 20% |
| Apr 25 | 3:24 | 37% |
| May 25 | 3:00 | 38% |
| Jun 25 | 3:25 | 28% |
| Jul 25 | 3:26 | 28% |
| Aug 25 | 3:24 | 29% |
| Sep 25 | 3:23 | 28% |
| Oct 25 | 3:16 | 38% |
Average Order-to-Discharge Time Trend
Average % Discharge by Noon
Key Highlights:
- Order-to-discharge time ranged between 2.4 and 3.4 hours, with the fastest months being February and March.
- Percent discharged by noon varied from 20% in March to 38% in May and October 2025.
- October 2025 shows a strong recovery in percent discharged by noon (38%), with a solid order-to-discharge time of 3 hours and 16 minutes.
- Order-to-discharge times improved from late 2024 into early 2025, then stabilized around three hours.
- Percent discharged by noon remained consistent across the fiscal year.
New Order Launch from the Department of Neurosurgery – “Prepare for Discharge Tomorrow” Order:
- On the morning of discharge, providers simply place the actual discharge home order.
- Launched in its pilot phase in September 2025, this tool is still early in implementation, but it is expected to significantly improve discharge workflow and communication within the department
Sources Cited
- Vizient: Vizient Inc., the country’s largest member-owned health care services company, provides innovative data-driven solutions, expertise, and collaborative opportunities that lead to improved patient outcomes and lower costs.
- UTSW Balance Score Card: The UTSW Balance Score Card is prepared by the Health System Quality and Operational Excellence Team to show hospitalwide data.
- Epic: Epic Systems Corporation, or Epic, is an American privately held health care software company. Through Epic Reporting, we are able to get certain metrics.