New WRH discharge pilot system already helping patients

Windsor Regional Hospital is expanding its discharge bay program to improve patient flow and reduce ED pressure.

Windsor Regional Hospital (WRH) is expanding its discharge bay program at the metropolitan campus.

The goal: to improve patient flow and reduce pressure on the emergency department.

The new discharge bay officially opened Monday.

A six-week pilot program has already helped transition more than 245 patients and reduce idle bedtime by over 300 hours.

Hospital officials say the dedicated space offers patients a place to wait for discharge and frees up inpatient beds for new patients.

Registered nursing staff provide discharge instructions education, and follow-up calls within 24 to 48 hours.

“With this process, we were able to save 450 hours of idle bedtime. We have processed 350 patients through this discharge bay since the end of February. What this means is these are real numbers, real beds, real impact to our community,” said Kuljeet Kelsi, director of access and flow, Windsor Regional Hospital