Patient Care Officer (PCO) Project
Care Process & Redesign
Training ＆ Education
Workforce Transformation
National Healthcare Innovation and Productivity Medals
National Healthcare Group
31 December 2022
Introduce the role of Patient Care Officers (PCOs) to assist with caregiving and non-clinical tasks, allowing nurses to. The program successfully alleviated nursing workload, improved patient satisfaction, and achieved significant cost savings.
Year Submitted: 2022
Published Date: 31 December 2022
Tags: Care Process ＆ Redesign, Training ＆ Education, Workforce Transformation, Value Based Care, Productivity, Cost Saving, Job Effectiveness, Lean Methodology, Patient Satisfaction, Safe Care, Adherence Rate, Learning Approach, Team Based Learning, Job Redesign, Workforce Performance, Workforce Productivity, Workforce Sustainability
About this Content
Aims
Introduce the role of Patient Care Officers (PCOs) to assist with caregiving and non-clinical tasks, allowing nurses to focus more on clinical care.
Background
Nurses were overburdened with non-clinical tasks, reducing their time for patient care. PCOs were introduced to support with caregiving, and the initiative was launched to optimize workforce utilization.
Methods
Developed a standardized role for PCOs, including recruitment, training (20 days of training), and integration into wards. PCOs assisted in non-clinical tasks and patient support.
Results
Increased nurses’ clinical time from 55% to 85%, reduced manpower needs by 23%, and achieved projected cost savings of $1.6 million annually.
Conclusion
The program successfully alleviated nursing workload, improved patient satisfaction, and achieved significant cost savings. The PCO role is being expanded to more wards and community settings.
Lessons Learnt
Key lessons included the importance of proper training, clear role definitions, and consistent engagement with stakeholders.
Additional Information
National Healthcare Innovation & Productivity (NHIP) 2022 – Best Workforce Transformation Award
Keywords
Patient Care Officer, Workforce Transformation, Nurse Empowerment, Productivity, Cost Savings
Innovators' Details
Innovators' Details
Healthcare Cluster(s) | National Healthcare Group |
Organization(s) Involved | Khoo Teck Puat Hospital |
Platform(s) | National Healthcare Innovation and Productivity Medals |
Healthcare Professional Group(s) | Healthcare Administration, Nursing |
Applicable Specialty or Discipline | Geriatric Medicine, Healthcare Administrators, Patient Service Associate |
Project Lead(s) | Yen Tan |
Project Member(s) | Shirley Heng |
Connect with this contributor!
Yen Tan - yen.tan@ktph.com.sg