Case Study : Regional Command Center Helps Create Capacity for 19,000 Additional Patients Annually at Providence Puget Sound
Providence Puget Sound, an eight-hospital, 2,400-bed system in the Pacific Northwest, was facing a major challenge: while hospitals in the Central region were consistently full, facilities in the North and South had unused capacity. Without enterprise-wide visibility, the system struggled with bottlenecks, high ED boarding times, and rejected transfer requests.
To solve this, Providence launched a regional command center called the Staffing, Transfer, and Operations Center (STOC), powered by GE HealthCare’s Command Center software.
Key outcomes include:
- 15% increase in admissions
- Capacity for 19,000 additional patients annually
- 46% reduction in ED boarding hours
- 48.6% drop in patients leaving without being seen
- Up to 103% increase in external transfers depending on region
- 36% decrease in blocked bed hours due to staffing constraints
Our command center helps us get the right patient in the right bed with the right caregiver—the first time. By streamlining operations, we optimize resources and improve access to care across the Puget Sound region,”
— explained Lindsey Powell, MBA, BSN, RN, Director of Patient Placement & Capacity at Providence.
They’re turning available beds into usable capacity. By integrating real-time insights into daily workflows and co-locating key decision-makers, the STOC enables collaborative, data-informed decisions. It now orchestrates staffing, transfer placement, and throughput across the entire region.