Anesthesia and sedation data in the gastroenterology suite: Leveraging clinical data to support operational workflows

Technology and information management systems (IMS) have the potential to offer gastrointestinal endoscopy suites opportunities for improved efficiency and ultimately value to the patients. The clinical data obtained from an IMS can translate to improved workflows, decreased costs, and improved patient satisfaction. Benefits are both immediate and longitudinal. Information that already exists in the suite can be leveraged for shorter wait times, less frequent delays, decreased provider downtime, increased caseloads, higher revenues, and improved satisfaction scores. This article presents examples from 1 IMS that illustrate the technology’s effect on scheduling (both before the procedure and on the day of procedure), interprovider communication, and staffing. In addition to meeting growing mandates for electronic record adoption, the major benefit of any given IMS is its ability to define local problems and provide guidance for an appropriate local solution. As with all technology, the benefits are only achievable when the implementation matches the local workflow.