This initiative began in 2019 as a pilot study conducted by Emergency Medicine clinicians Drs. Benjamin White and Jonathan Sonis. Together, they established a multidisciplinary team comprised of physician, nursing, and administrative leadership from both the Emergency Department and the Department of Radiology. Systems engineers and analysts team members helped to produce and implement sustainable, scalable solutions to improve patient flow and eliminate delays in the Emergency Department (ED).
Their work successfully identified fundamental bottlenecks in the Emergency Department’s patient care experience, leading to systems improvements aimed at reducing testing turnaround time. These innovations were scalable to other areas of the Emergency Department and were particularly critical over the past year of the COVID-19 response efforts.
Building on the success of this pilot project, the Trefler Foundation has committed to continuing its support of Drs. White and Sonis’ ongoing research using systems engineering to improve patient care processes and enhance the patient experience in the Emergency Department.
The work of Drs. White and Sonis is so important both for improved efficiencies in the Emergency Department and improvement in patient care.
Other departments at Mass General will benefit from this work as well as other Emergency Departments around the country.
These last two years have highlighted what a crucial role Emergency medicine plays in saving lives and we are looking forward to helping in anyway we can.
Pam Trefler, Trustee
The next phase of the project will establish the Center for Emergency Medicine Innovation (CEMI) within the Mass General Department of Emergency Medicine. The CEMI will create a sustainable infrastructure aimed at developing innovative, efficient, effective, and compassionate patient care across the spectrum of emergency medicine.
Serving as a catalyst and incubator of new ideas, the CEMI will focus on a range of challenges that will benefit from novel thought models and approaches, including those previously considered unsolvable. By drawing on the unique position and resources of MGH, and utilizing a robust scientific approach, the discoveries and successes made possible through the CEMI will benefit patients well beyond the walls of the ED.
As we embark on the next phase of a two-year fundraising period, we respectfully request that you consider joining the Trefler Foundation’s Challenge to raise additional funds to improve Emergency Department care and patient experience at Mass General and in Emergency Departments across the country.
To join the Challenge, contact Emily Monteiro, Associate Director of Development at Mass General.