UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL AND CLINICAL PROGRAMS PROFESSIONAL NURSING ORGANIZATION POLICY STANDARDS	ADDENDUM:                   H.2 EFFECTIVE:              2/84 REVISION:                8/08       APPROVAL:              8/08
SUBJECT: UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS FOR MEDICAL SCIENCES (UAMS) PATIENT CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM
SOURCE: Policy Standards, Section H, Utilization of Staff/Staffing

The Patient Classification System at The University Of Arkansas for Medical Sciences is based on the premise that the workload generated by individual patients can be measured and be used to analyze staffing needs. Aggregated data obtained monthly for each unit is utilized to track trends indicative of workload change on the unit. This data collected on a quarterly basis provides information to support adjustments in daily staffing pattern matrixes and the annual budgetary process of each unit. The inpatient areas utilize the QuadraMed Corporation's WinPFS Productivity and Benchmarking System (Labor & Delivery -5E is excluded). Labor & Delivery -5E-uses the Win PFS Perinatal Methodology. The emergency department uses the EMERGE methodology.

The classification process is done on-line via unit computers, allowing licensed staff to choose from a comprehensive list of pre-defined research-based indicators from Medicus Methodologies.  The actual classification process should be completed by the RN most familiar with the individual patient's current condition.

Classify:

1. All patients within two hours of admission to the unit, and then twice daily between 1000 and 1400 and 2200-0200   hours.  A patient may be re-classified anytime during the shift as change in the patient condition warrants.
2. All patients on the unit, regardless of their length of stay.  Therefore, all admissions, discharges and transfers should be classified each 12 hour shift.
3. Labor and delivery, peri-natal patients and Emergency Department (EMERG) patients are retrospectively classified.

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