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To Medical Center Team Members – 

The Emergency Department (ED) is our primary “front door” for UVA Medical Center, introducing upwards of 66,000 patients every year and representing 60% of our total admissions. It is where our efforts for continual improvement are always a core focus thanks to our dedicated team members who work around the clock to provide the best care possible for those in our community. It is also where we have seen significant growth in volumes and acuity over the last several years, which has resulted in a more complex care environment, higher wait times, and the need for process changes to meet these evolving demands.

This week, our ED will begin to further implement important transformational efforts that will redefine the way we welcome and assess our patients, while providing the highest level of quality care. The ED team has chosen to title this commitment “Excellence Driven,” as the model strives to streamline our care delivery and contribute to a better patient experience and shorter length of stay, always through a model of care delivery excellence. Here’s what you need to know:

• This Tuesday, June 6, beginning at 9 a.m., we will begin the first of several testing cycles of “Excellence Driven” processes throughout our ED, during which we will be piloting new ways of assessing, admitting and delivering treatment for our patients.

• During this time, you may notice a difference in the way patients are directed both within the ED, as well as to other areas of our system.

• For most areas, we expect the impact to be minimal. However, if you do notice a change please be patient as we experiment with a new way of operating.

• Following each rapid cycle test, we will refine our processes further to ensure operational excellence and prepare for a Go-Live on July 6, when changes within our ED will become permanent.

As we move forward with all of the improvements that the “Excellence Driven” mindset will bring us, I want to thank our ED physicians and caregivers for everything you are doing, which will allow us to deliver the right level of care, at the right time, and in a patient-centric manner of operational excellence.

Thank you also to our other team members for your support of the ED while we embark on this important endeavor. By working together, we will enhance the experience our patients receive as they enter through our ED front door and receive a level of care that ranks among the very best.  

Please stay tuned for additional communications as we move forward.

With gratitude,

Wendy Horton
Chief Executive Officer, UVA Medical Center