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    Discharge bottleneck

    Build a clearer plan for discharge processes.

    Map the work, responsibilities and bottlenecks before agreeing an improvement approach.

    Worked planning example. Figures below are illustrative, not verified ALIRA client results. Review the approach with your team before use.

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    The Pattern

    • .Only 61% done in 24 hours
    • .Juniors don't know today's discharge list
    • .Summaries get batched at 6pm
    • .GPs chase for handover notes
    • .Rework accumulates

    What Works

    • 09:30 discharge board update in ward huddle
    • Junior doctor sees today's expected discharges
    • Starts discharge summary before ward round ends
    • Summary completion jumps to 90% in 24 hours
    • No extra workload
    The one-week test

    How to test this

    Plan

    Add 5-minute discharge update to Monday huddle. Confirm expected discharges. Ask one junior to start summaries before ward round ends.

    Do

    Run the huddle update for one week. Track when summaries are actually started (before 12pm vs after 6pm).

    Study

    Count summaries completed by 24 hours. Compare with previous week. Ask juniors: did knowing the discharge list help?

    Act

    If completion improves, add a checklist and run next week. If not, test a different time or trigger.

    Ward 7A tested this. Completion went from 61% to 90% in 24 hours. The huddle update took 3 minutes. The impact was enormous.

    This wasn't a redesign. It was a signal problem. When juniors know what's happening, they move differently.

    Ready to cut discharge delays?

    Test a morning discharge update on your ward this week. See the completion rate jump in 7 days.

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