Mr. Taylor, 58, visited his GP with persistent joint pain and stiffness in his hands and knees. Dr. Roberts suspected early rheumatoid arthritis and referred him to the hospital rheumatology department.
The hospital triage team reviewed the referral but returned it requesting additional blood test results and a more detailed symptom history. Mr. Taylor's case remained in administrative limbo for three weeks while paperwork moved between the GP office and hospital.
When Mr. Taylor finally saw a rheumatologist six weeks after his initial GP visit, he had experienced unnecessary discomfort and reduced mobility. The specialist noted that earlier intervention with appropriate medication could have prevented some joint inflammation.
The phenomenon is related to inefficiencies and delays in systems that are designed to handle complex workflows, particularly in healthcare. While there may not be a single, universally accepted term for this specific scenario, there are several concepts and theories from organisational studies, healthcare management, and systems thinking that align with what you're describing. Below are some possible names and related concepts:
This refers to delays caused by excessive layers of administration or processes that slow down the resolution of an issue. In your example, the back-and-forth between primary care and hospitals creates a bottleneck where patient care is delayed unnecessarily.
This concept describes systems or processes that appear to be making progress but are actually introducing inefficiencies. In your case, the triaging process seems like a step forward but ultimately delays care and wastes resources.
This concept from safety science and human factors highlights the gap between how a system is designed to work (work-as-imagined) and how it actually functions in practice (work-as-done). The triage process might look efficient on paper, but in practice, it creates delays and inefficiencies.
Queueing theory studies how waiting lines form and function. In this context, the triage process creates an intermediate queue that doesn't add value but increases waiting time for patients.
This term informally describes situations where tasks or responsibilities are bounced back and forth between two parties without resolution. In your example, the hospital and GP are "ping-ponging" the patient's case, delaying care.
This refers to the excessive paperwork, procedures, and bureaucracy that create inefficiencies in systems. The triage process adds an administrative layer that burdens both the healthcare providers and the patients.
This term can be used to describe processes that seem efficient but are actually counterproductive. The triage system may look like it's streamlining care but is actually introducing delays.
This is a broader concept where actions taken to improve a system lead to unintended negative outcomes. The triage process was likely implemented to improve patient care coordination but has resulted in delays and resource wastage.
This term refers to inefficiencies that arise within a system due to poorly designed interactions between its components. The friction between primary care and hospital triage is a clear example.
This refers to excessive bureaucracy and procedural delays in systems. In your example, the triage process adds unnecessary red tape, delaying patient care.