A New York City hospital has reduced decedent release times with an initiative that includes strengthening community partnerships and providing key information to grieving families.
In a trend across the country, many hospital morgues have been overrun since the first surge of the coronavirus pandemic. Increased decedent release time not only creates a burden for families but also poses an operational challenge for hospitals, which are forced to supplement their morgues with refrigerated trucks.
Average decedent release times have increased from about three days before the coronavirus pandemic to as long as two weeks since the pandemic, according to Komal Bajaj, MD, chief quality officer at NYC Health + Hospitals/Jacobi | North Central Bronx, a hospital with two campuses.
To combat this issue, Jacobi | North Central Bronx hospital has launched a program to improve decedent release time. Jacobi | North Central Bronx hospital's Compassion for the Community: Continuing Care After Death program has reduced average decedent holding time from 13 days to five days.
View the infographic below to learn about the three primary elements of the program. Click on this link to read the accompanying HealthLeaders story.
Christopher Cheney is the CMO editor at HealthLeaders.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Hospital morgues have experienced high volumes of decedents since the coronavirus pandemic, which has increased decedent release times significantly.
An initiative launched by a New York City hospital has reduced delays in decedent releases times by methods including giving families a clear understanding of the paperwork and other steps required with the passing of a loved one.
The initiative is operated by an interdisciplinary team that includes staff from pathology, care experience, admitting, and finance.