Patient Journey
Feeling awful and needing urgent care, this is the hospital’s “front door” where most patients first show up
What is the emergency department?
After triage, this healthcare professional typically performs the initial medical assessment and orders tests.
Who is a physician (or emergency doctor)?
Blood tests, X-rays, and CT scans all happen in this phase, basically the hospital’s version of “data collection.”
What are diagnostics?
A patient is medically stable but remains in the hospital because there is no available bed in long-term care. This issue contributes to hospital overcrowding.
What is alternate level of care (ALC) or delayed discharge?
A patient returns to the hospital within 30 days of discharge due to poor follow-up care and lack of coordination between providers. This outcome is commonly used as a measure of healthcare system performance.
What is a hospital readmission (or 30-day readmission rate)?