McKesson and Emergency Nurses Association Launch ED Benchmarks Collaborative

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Nov 16, 2010, 09:00 ET

Innovative service expected to enhance ED performance improvement efforts

ATLANTA, Nov. 16, 2010 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The ED Benchmarks Collaborative^™now is available to hospitals seeking to improve their emergency department (ED) performance. A joint initiative of the Emergency Nurses Association (ENA) and McKesson, this Web-based subscription service enables hospital leaders to identify trends and compare their ED performance with similar organizations nationwide. In addition, the service helps hospitals improve capacity management and drive positive clinical and financial outcomes.

ED performance is an increasingly crucial component of success as ED patient volumes skyrocket across the country. Although some facilities have been collecting ED performance data in standalone systems for years, it has not been possible to compare data across facilities until now. The ED Benchmarks Collaborative (EDBC) will provide leaders with actionable business intelligence that facilitates national or regional hospital comparisons, targeted organization evaluations and sharing of best practices.

"With health reform, we're being asked to streamline the patient care process and improve safety as well as quality at the same time," said Diane Gurney, RN, president of ENA. "We need to rely on business intelligence to drive this new approach to healthcare."

Using the EDBC online dashboard, hospitals will have the ability to submit data and access internal and national trends on 10 key performance indicators in two categories: throughput, and productivity. Equally as relevant is the depth of supporting data and subsequent root-cause analysis that is behind each indicator on the dashboard, allowing subscribers to transform the data into meaningful action for performance improvement. These measures are based on definitions from key stakeholder organizations and expert insight from the ENA.

"Pediatric EDs present unique challenges that are best solved by learning from comparable providers," said Deena Brecher, RN, ENA board member and pediatric nurse at Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children in Wilmington, Del. "Comparing metrics and outcomes with other pediatric facilities will enable us to share knowledge and take actions that will help improve the quality of care that we deliver to our patients."

The EDBC can also help hospitals enhance patient satisfaction through improved capacity management, a growing challenge for hospitals across the country. The average ED wait time is four hours and seven minutes and is expected to increase, according to Press Ganey's 2010 Emergency Department Pulse Report. Twenty-one percent of all hospitals report being at capacity in their emergency departments, while 17% report routinely exceeding capacity levels.

With access to the dashboard, decision-makers can quickly evaluate in-demand resources and, when necessary, correct erroneous assumptions while setting the appropriate course for performance improvement. The insight gained can also help organizations meet Joint Commission stipulations and meaningful use requirements associated with the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

"Emergency department directors are accustomed to dealing with the crises that are part of delivering emergency care on a daily basis," said Tina Foster, RN, vice president of benchmarking solutions, McKesson Provider Technologies. "With the ED Benchmarks Collaborative, they finally can analyze their performance strategically. It's a new perspective that provides the enterprise intelligence needed to achieve new and improved levels of efficiency and care quality across the country."

About the Emergency Nurses Association

The Emergency Nurses Association (ENA) is the only professional nursing association dedicated to defining the future of emergency nursing and emergency care through advocacy, expertise, innovation and leadership. Founded in 1970 and currently celebrating its 40th anniversary, ENA serves as the voice of more than 37,000 members and their patients through research, publications, professional development, injury prevention and patient education. Additional information is available at ENA's Web site, www.ena.org.

About McKesson

McKesson Corporation, currently ranked 14th on the FORTUNE 500, is a healthcare services and information technology company dedicated to helping its customers deliver high-quality healthcare by reducing costs, streamlining processes, and improving the quality and safety of patient care. Over the course of its 177-year history, McKesson has grown by providing pharmaceutical and medical-surgical supply management across the spectrum of care; healthcare information technology for hospitals, physicians, homecare and payors; hospital and retail pharmacy automation; and services for manufacturers and payors designed to improve outcomes for patients. For more information, visit http://www.mckesson.com.

SOURCE Emergency Nurses Association