Impact of throughput optimization on intensive care unit occupancy.

Intensive care unit (ICU) resources are scarce, yet demand is increasing at a rapid rate. Optimizing throughput efficiency while balancing patient safety and quality of care is of utmost importance during times of high ICU utilization. Continuous improvement methodology was used to develop a multidisciplinary workflow to improve throughput in the ICU while maintaining a high quality of care and minimizing adverse outcomes. The research team was able to decrease ICU occupancy and therefore ICU length of stay by implementing this process without increasing mortality or readmissions to the ICU. By improving throughput efficiency, more patients were able to be provided with care in the ICU.