Optimization of the intravenous infusion workflow in the isolation ward for patients with coronavirus disease 2019

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the effect of optimization of the intravenous infusion workflow in isolation wards for patients with coronavirus disease 2019.

Methods: The infusion management group optimized the intravenous infusion workflow based on Hamer's Process Reengineering Theory and applied it to the treatment of patients with coronavirus disease 2019. The work efficiency, patients' satisfaction and economic indicators before and after optimization were compared.

Results: After the infusion workflow was optimized, average times for preparation drugs and intravenous admixture, and patients' waiting time decreased from 4.84 min, 4.03 min, and 34.33 min to 3.50 min, 2.60 min, and 30.87 min, respectively, patients' satisfaction increased from 66.7% to 93.3%, and the cost of personal protective equipment (PPE) decreased from 46.67 sets and 186.6 CNY per day to 36.17 sets and 144.6 CNY, with statistical significance.

Conclusion: The optimization of the intravenous infusion workflow can effectively decrease the cost of PPE while improving the efficiency of infusion and patients' satisfaction.