Frontline Teams in Alberta Target Shorter Length of Stay in Hospital to Reduce Hip and Knee Replacement Wait Time
Alberta Health Services, the agency responsible for providing health care services to Albertans, is attempting to reduce waiting time for hip and knee replacements by shortening the average length of stay in hospital without compromising quality or safety. Reducing length of stay in hospital builds capacity so that more patients can receive surgery without the need for additional hospital beds.
To achieve its goal, AHS launched the Alberta Transformational Improvement Program (TIP) through its Bone and Joint Clinical Network. Alberta Bone and Joint Health Institute was engaged to coordinate TIP. The program enlists the active participation of the people whose day-to-day actions most influence patient stay. They are the people on the front lines of patient care – surgeons, nurses, therapists and managers.