A group of Tennessee researchers have borrowed an approach from the military to find ways to make better use of scarce nursing resources. Researchers with Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare and the University of Memphis Center for Healthcare Technology are using a technique, known as "data farming," to analyze nurse workflow scenarios and see if they can free nurses up to spend more time at the bedside.

Unlike data mining, which uses de-identified patient data to looking at existing patterns, this approach uses sample workflows and simulated patients. With data farming, the researchers can analyze treatment of 5,000 fictional patients overnight--and since they're not bound to existing data, they can model the effects of previously untested or unheard-of care patterns.

To date, the researchers aren't giving out specific results from their studies. However, they say that preliminary results suggest that it may be possible to not only free up nurse time but also cut patient lengths of stay. They're also hopeful that with nurses freed up from non-patient-care activities, they're more likely to stay on staff.

To find out more about this project:
- read this Healthcare IT News piece

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