StatCom's 2007 National Survey on Patient Throughput and Capacity Challenges was designed to capture the thoughts and opinions held by U.S. healthcare executives on issues facing their facilities regarding patient throughput, bed occupancy and length of stay.

The survey of more than 200 executives, directors, nurses and physicians found that nearly three-fifths of their facilities lacked the ability to track patients continuously and over half rated the efficiency of their facilities' bedturn process as poor or fair.

The report shows healthcare facilities are still transitioning from old methods of patient throughput management to new technologically advanced patient flow and tracking systems. In fact, two-thirds of executives polled report phone calls and voice messages are still the most common way patient tracking information is made available to admitting staff.