Blount Memorial Hospital’s executive team had been unsuccessful working with its long-time emergency department (ED) staffing firm to improve metrics, so they selected American Physician Partners (APP) to turn the ED around.

APP recruited a new ED Medical Director and was successful in retaining all of the physicians and advanced practitioners who were committed to ongoing excellence. The team then moved forward with an innovative performance improvement plan that included the addition of scribes to the staffing model, a provider in triage, and a split system that created an Express Assessment Unit separate from the main ED. Through strong leadership, a meticulous focus on metrics, and a team approach focused on the patient, the ED realized impressive and sustainable improvements in service, throughput times and growth.