LAUSR

Timeliness is 1 of the 6 aims developed by the Institute of Medicine (IOM) to improve health care quality. The IOM’s goals for this aim are to reduce waits and harmful delays. Studies have shown delays in surgery may affect patient satisfaction and cause anxiety and stress to patients. Delays in surgical cases may not only cause patients’ stress and anxiety, but also potentially trigger unexpected patient safety events as staff are interrupted from their normal workflows. At a Veterans Affairs medical center, the operating room (OR) nursing staff had difficulty searching for ophthalmology medications, causing dissatisfaction with the process. Staff spent a daily average of 8 to 10 minutes searching for medications. In some instances, they were unable to locate them entirely, requiring pharmacy to remake the medications, causing delays in surgical