The leadership of a multi-billion-dollar healthcare network was looking to align the performance of multiple hospitals, outpatient facilities and ancillary services. Ultimately the network desired an improved, predictable environment to deliver a better patient experience.
Carpedia analyzed the operation to assess the degree to which planning, communication and process variation contributed to a comprised patient experience.
Three themes emerged from the assessment:
- Procedure and material preference card variation was significant – contributing to higher costs and worst outcomes
- Procedure on-time starts were not acceptable
- Procedure planning was not patient-centric
Carpedia was engaged to help improve pre-procedure management across the network to support better performance and an improved patient experience.
Carpedia partnered with hospital leaders to help reduce procedure variability, reduce operating costs, and concurrently improve the patient experience and safety
- Significantly lowered material costs by reducing unnecessary variation in preference cards
- SKU rationalization and reduced waste
- Reduced variabiliity of procedures across campuses and between surgeons through standardized procedure cards
- Improved patient flow through better process alignment
- Improved management communication and problem solving through Carpedia College and on-the-job coaching
- Implemented a monthly management review to ensure sustainability of results
- Improved planning, scheduling, and real-time reporting tools
- Aligned communication and cadence for better clarity of expectations and variance solutions
The Results
The engagement provided a return on investment of 3:1 providing a net positive cash flow in-year.
Due to the success of this initiative, our client chose to engage Carpedia in other operations.
Alignment in planning, measurement, and communication has provided a sustainable high performance management culture.
Specific results include:
- 16% Improvement in material cost per case
- 9% improvement in labor cost per case
- 16% increase in on-time starts
